Jubilee aspirants have welcomed any nomination formula the party chooses to pick candidates for the August9 election, provided it will be free and fair.
Tetu MP aspirant Githigaro Wachira said most candidates are cautious following what happened in 2017 where strong candidates were rigged out during open party nominations.
Wachira suggests that if the party will be using scientific data to search for the most popular candidates, then candidates should be allowed to also deploy their people on the ground.
This, he said, will ensure the process is done fairly.
Jubilee is considering various formulas to avert fallouts that are occasioned by party primaries.
They include direct nomination, use of scientific data which will rely on opinion ratings and consensus or negotiated democracy among others.
“Either way, as long as it will be free and fair, we are ready,” Wachira said.
“But we have to assure our supporters that the process that will be used will be free and fair and agreed upon by all. We shall also talk to them so we can go to the general election as a team.”
Former Tetu MP Ndung’u Gethenji expresses optimism that all will be well after President Uhuru Kenyatta made changes in the party by removing some officials whom he said interfered with the outfit's primaries in 2017.
“We now have the assurance that the process of nomination will be free, fair and transparent and hope all will be well,” he said.
Other aspirants fighting for Jubilee ticket in Tetu are Lucy Wanjiru and Samuel Njayakio.
Mukurwe-ini MP aspirant Kariuki Muchemi said aspirants have pledged to stick together even after nominations provided the process will be free and fair.
Jubilee has been encouraging members to take the initiative to engage among themselves and through consensus come up with popular candidates and back them.
Muchemi said the party has been prevailing upon its aspirants to conduct issue based campaigns devoid of insults and violence.
“We shall ensure that be it the April party primaries or the forthcoming general election in August, we are going to do very peaceful campaigns,” he said.
According to party director of elections Kanini Kega, Jubilee has been engaging candidates in all the 10 counties in Mt Kenya region to ensure amicable choice of candidates to face their opponents.
He said the party primaries expected to be held between April 11 and 22, will be free and fair.
Kega, who is also defending his Kieni MP seat, assured aspirants that the primaries will not be like those of 2017 where unpopular contestants were awarded tickets.
He said voters will decide who will be awarded the ticket.
The Jubilee election board will welcome any process that will reduce fallouts in the party, he said, adding that the party has between 5,000 to 6,000 aspirants.
Jubilee is focused on ensuring it will have a majority of MPs, senators, governors and MCAs in the August elections, he added.
“We want those who will lose to support the winners so as to ensure the party wins by reducing defections.”
Kega said there is room for all in government, adding that the party will ensure candidates who win in the presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial and parliamentary elections offer those who lose, jobs.
The national election board will go out of its way to ensure all aspirants whether they win or lose are satisfied with the process.
(Edited by Francis Wadegu)
