Three legislators from Ukambani have affirmed that their decision to join the newly created Jubilee Party was no mistake.
Kitui South MP Rachael Kaki, Itwiku Mbai (Masinga) and Francis Mwangangi (Yatta) have said they were not going to change their minds.
“We have thought through our decision and weighed the benefits we can get from government against those, if any, we can find being in the opposition,” Kaki said.
She said with the current political scenario, being in the opposition is like boarding a stalled vehicle.
Kaki, who was elected on the Narc ticket, said they consulted their constituents before joining Jubilee, and therefore have nothing to worry about.
“We are not walking alone in this. I have personally consulted my electorate and I can assure you that the 70 per cent of the votes that Uhuru and Ruto will get part of it will be from Kitui South,” she said.
Mwangangi said they resolved to be part of building a political party that will win elections and be in government next year, and will not discriminate against them on the basis of tribe.
“It has not been easy working with the government because we have been treated as adopted sons and daughters. Now we want to be counted from the start so that in future we will all have equal rights,” he said.
Mwangangi urged Kenyans to stop being in regional political parties and instead join national political organisations aimed at uniting them.
Mbai said he is happy his party Ford Kenya is among those that dissolved to join the Jubilee Party.
The three spoke on Sunday at Matuu AIC Church, where they were joined by Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wairia and MPs Irungu Kang’ata (Kiharu) and Mwangi Kamande (Maragua) in a church funds drive.
Irungu and Kamande criticised ODM leader Raila Odinga, saying that pronouncements by his party members in Mombasa on Saturday showed he had decided to sideline Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
The two urged Kambas to join Jubilee as there was no hope of Kalonzo being Cord ’s presidential flagbearer.
“Now that Raila has failed to declare Kalonzo Tosha as we all expected, then why should Kambas not vote for Jubilee? I am asking you to join JP as this is now the best option,” Kang’ata said.
Wairia criticised governors opposed to the Jubilee administration.
“No governor should solely boast of the projects he has imitated since all that has been achieved with the funds allocated to the counties by the national government,” he said.