The Rift Valley Council of Elders has warned hopefuls working under the Kenya Alliance of independent candidates that they might suffer defeat in the August 8 polls.
Their commitment to promises to the electorate is questionable, the elders told journalists in Nakuru town on Monday.
Council spokesperson Gilbert Kabage told the candidates to prepare for a rude shock as they will be voted out during the general election.
"The same people who voted them out of the party primaries will be participating in the election," he
said. "They will have no choice but to speak louder by casting their votes for fresh leadership."
Kabage further
said the independents, especially incumbents, are unlikely to change even if given another five years to serve.
The elders said that much as there were irregularities in the Jubilee and ODM party primaries, those affected should accept the people's choices.
"Most of these leaders are the ones who have, in one way or another, misappropriated public funds," he said.
"They could only be out to protect their interests by seeking re-election. We urged them to do a self-evaluation and quit the race or support those who won."
According to the IEBC's report on candidates released on Saturday, Nakuru is among counties with the highest number of Independent candidates.
The county has 193 after Nairobi and Kiambu which registered 449 and 223 candidates respectively.
The aspirants are turning out to be a headache for President Uhuru Kenyatta and NASA presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga.
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'Jubilee will not campaign for independents'
Speaking separately, Kiharu MP Irungu Kangata said Jubilee Party will not campaign for Independent candidates across the country.
In a KTN
interview on Tuesday morning, Kang'ata said campaigners will
focus on helping nomination winners clinch the seats they will vie for.
"The President
asked all losers in the nominations to shelve their ambitions and support the party. Some of them agreed and bowed out while others insisted on running as independent candidates. Let them focus on their own campaigns as the President will campaign for his team," he said.
The legislator termed independent candidates "enemies of Jubilee".
"I have seen independent candidates coming together and demanding that our President supports them. That is not happening because the President is our general and he will focus on his battalion," he stated.
The Murang'a Senator candidate added that
blackmail
will not be tolerated and that voter apathy will not be the case in Mt Kenya.
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'You were not rigged out'
Kinangop MP nominee Kwenya Thuku said who chose to vie independently
should do so without lying to Kenyans they were rigged out.
Thuku said there were no irregularities in Jubilee Party's nominations and accused those who "ran away"
of attempting to whip the people’s emotions for sympathy votes.
“I disagree with voices claiming the nominations were rigged. That is not true," he said at Njabini in Kinangop on Tuesday.
Noting leaders must tell the truth, he challenged independent candidates in Nyandarua to engage in issue-based politics, not misguided propaganda.
The politician further said
losers should not make utterances that may instigate quarrels and division among residents, or make them abandon their democratic right to elect leaders of their choice.
Thuku defeated seven rivals to become the JP nominee in Kinangop. They included Stephen Kinyanjui, Nairobi MCA Simon Kagiri and Chege Mugo.
Mugo then resigned as JP member to contest as independent candidate.
Thuku said he is not afraid to face any independent candidate because “I know the people of Kinangop will confirm me as their MP".
He said those who declined to concede and went independent after party primaries were selfish.