After days of speculation, Kenya's international football star McDonald Mariga has finally submitted his credentials at Jubilee Party headquarters in Pangani, Nairobi.
“I am not a project of anyone and I will support whoever wins since I was born and raised in Kibra,” Mariga told journalists outside the party offices.
A list containing his name and four other candidates was forwarded to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) last week, but later withdrawn after-party secretary-general Raphael Tuju disowned it.
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However, Jubilee election’s board chairman Nick Bore told People Daily that he had indeed forwarded the letter to IEBC.
“The board, upon receiving the names of the interested candidates, forwarded the same to the IEBC. I don’t understand where this conflicting information is coming from,” Bore said on phone.
On Monday night, IEBC wrote on its Twitter handle that a letter from the Jubilee Party had been presented containing names of aspirants but also noted that the commission was aware the party had disowned the letter.
“IEBC received a letter, on Monday August 26, at 5 pm, forwarding the names of aspirants of Jubilee Party for the Kibra by-election. However, it has come to the attention of the commission that Jubilee Party has denied authoring the said letter and termed it fake,” read the message.
The commission stated that it had sought clarification on the matter: “Consequently the commission has written to the party forwarding a copy of the letter for the party’s information and further action.”
Our source said Deputy President William Ruto had identified Mariga as the “right” candidate for the Kibra seat which fell vacant following the death of Ken Okoth last month.
