United Progressive Alliance party officials Wednesday said they would not allow Jubilee Party to grab Fred Matiangi from them and field him their presidential flag bearer.
They said Matiangi was their member and would use it to run for the country’s top seat come 2027 and not Jubilee.
“We have spoken this matter with Jubilee Party officials over the same and we are only here to re-affirm that Matiangi is our party member and would vie for presidency under UPA and not in their party,” Jacob Bagaka, party National Secretary,told journalists in Kisii.
Matiangi is yet to declare his intention to run for the top seat. He has however been getting pressure to run for the presidency.
They told Jeremiah Kioni off over recent outbursts annexing Matiang’i candidacy to Jubilee Party.
“We tell Jubilee Party ‘s Jeremiah Kioni unequivocally to stop the drama, Matiangi would use UPA as his vehicle, it is a done deal,” stated Bagaka.
Kioni, had during a recent media briefing, said the former Interior Cabinet Secretary fits the bill of the candidate they are scouting for to challenge Ruto.
“We are looking for a person that can unify the country, which is this name that more people can rally around. We are looking at a bully in the name of William, who is this person who can look at William eyeball to eyeball and tell him off, it is Matiangi ,” Kioni stated.
He said the Jubilee Party was settling on a presidential candidate outside the Mount Kenya where it enjoys much support having bagged 28 seats in the 2022 general seats with majority of them from the region.
“We are picking somebody from outside the mountain and somebody from a small community and picking a name that’s known. The reason we have the 2010 constitution it allows us to pick a candidate from any corner of the country,” added Kioni.
But speaking at the UPA party offices in Kisii, shortly after a senior party officials meeting, Wednesday evening, Bagaka termed as hogwash the move by Jubilee to own Matiang’i.
“Kioni should stop this business of telling people they would field our party member, they should instead join us not us joining them,” retorted Bagaka.
Emmanuel Mwangi said though UPA roots for Matiang’i they were open to work with other like minded parties and coalitions.
“Everything is on the table and we welcome all like minded parties to join us,” he said.
He told Kioni to end the drama.
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