- Kang'ara said before the next party meeting to be held the two should have an answer on who will get the nomination ticket.
- While Kibiru has been banking on his achievements as a senator, Ndambiri has been pegging his candidature on a regional balance bid.
Image: WANGECHI WANG'ONDU
Kirinyaga Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri and Senator Charles Kibiru have five days to settle on who between them will be Jubilee's flag bearer for governor.
Party county chair Muriithi Kang'ara issued the ultimatum following a standoff between the two front runners who, despite embarking on a consensus process, are yet to agree on who will carry the party's ticket.
Kang'ara said before the next party meeting to be held, the two should have an answer on who will get the nomination ticket.
The Jubilee candidate will then face rivals from other parties who have declared interest for governor, including the incumbent Governor Anne Waiguru (UDA), Wangui Ngirici (independent), Peter Gitau (Safina) and Martha Karua (Narc Kenya).
While Kibiru has been banking on his achievements as a senator, Ndambiri has been pegging his candidature on a regional balance bid.
He said the party is yet to strike a regional balance in the distribution of county nomination tickets thus persuading the party to consider him as the flag bearer.
He argues his constituency of Mwea has been sidelined in allocation of nomination tickets and time has come for it to benefit through him.
The two leaders have been holding consultations and none so far has been issued with a party provisional certificate as deliberations have borne no fruit.
Speaking on Tuesday in Kerugoya during the issuance of party certificates to various candidates, Ndambiri said deliberations between the two are still ongoing and will soon be unveiling who they will settle on.
In addition, he said, none of the two will lose as the one who will forgo the position will be integrated in government.
"The ticket has not been awarded to any of us as we are still on the negotiation table. We are hopeful that we will settle on the best because Kirinyaga deserves nothing but the best."
Similar sentiments were echoed by Kibiru who said negotiations were ongoing and the outcome will be in the best interest of the county.
"It is true the negotiation process is still on. Besides, DG Ndambiri and I have been discussing how we will resolve this issue and forge forward as a team."
The county eminent persons committee led by Interior principal secretary Karanja Kibicho was not able to unlock the deadlock despite resolving all the other elective positions.
Kibicho said the 12-man committee conducted a rigorous negotiation process that eventually settled on 26 Jubilee Party nominees from over 70 individuals who had expressed interest in elective positions through Jubilee tickets."
"We have put in a lot of effort in this activity including burning the midnight oil on some occasions to come up with a comprehensive list. We tried our best to settle on the most suitable candidates who will aptly compete with our opponents in the August polls."
"However, we settled from senatorial to ward representative positions but left the governor's. The party can only front one flagbearer between the Ndambiri and Kibiru. We therefore gave them a task to decide who between them will forfeit the post in favour of the other."
National party chair Nelson Dzuya commended the committee for leading a fruitful discussion among the candidates and which led to a peaceful nomination process.
He thank those that withdrew their candidacy in favour of stronger contenders as he assured they will be rewarded for their sacrifice.
“The party will walk with you through-out the journey while on your end we expect nothing but dedication and subsequent victory during the August polls.”
He also challenged the county party members to cooperate in popularising the candidates as the party highly expects victory on all slots.
-Edited by SKanyara