•He said being President Uhuru Kenyatta's home turf, the party will topple their opponents.
•Kiambu being a cosmopolitan county, has over 300,000 residents from other tribes living and working in tea plantations and factories within the region.
Image: JOHN KAMAU
Kiambu Jubilee aspirants have scaled up their campaigns as they prepare for a political battle set to be staged by UDA and Kenya Kwanza affiliated aspirants for various seats.
Led by Governor James Nyoro, they urged their rivals to be ready for a bruising battle saying Jubilee will clinch more than 80 per cent of the seats in the county.
Nyoro is seeking to retain his seat on a Jubilee ticket.
The leaders spoke at a Jubilee Youth Caucus meeting held in Thika on Saturday.
The meeting had over 4000 youths from all the 60 wards in the county and was attended by aspirants vying for various seats on the Jubilee ticket.
Nyoro said Jubilee has significantly regained trust and support from residents and the larger Mt Kenya region.
He said being President Uhuru Kenyatta's home turf, the party will topple their opponents.
“We are glad that our people have realised that Jubilee is the only party that will address their interests and those of Mt Kenya region. The support is overwhelming. We are now cruising the county to ensure we win almost all seats in Kiambu,” Nyoro said.
He said that the over 4000 youths have already been dispatched to the entire county to popularise the party and its candidates, to ensure they win the hearts of the few residents who are yet to subscribe to the Jubilee party agendas.
Nyoro will be facing former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo (Tujibembe Wakenya Party), Senator Kimani Wamatangi (UDA) and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (Chama Cha Kazi).
Others are Thika MP Patrick Wainaina alias Wajungle (Independent), Juliet Kimemia (Kanu) and Mwende Gatabaki (Independent).
Nyoro is expected to bag votes from the minority communities living and working in Kiambu and those supporting Azimio la Umoja, giving him a high and upper hand in retaining the seat.
Kiambu being a cosmopolitan county, has over 300,000 residents from other tribes living and working in tea plantations and factories within the region.
George Maara who’s seeking the county’s senator seat on a Jubilee ticket said the party has already watered down the political gains made by Deputy President William Ruto’s UDA in the region.
Maara is expected to face off with Karungo Thangw’a (UDA) and Chama Cha Kazi’s Machel Waikenda.
However, Karungo has suffered a major setback in his senator bid after the High Court temporarily stopped the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission from clearing him.
This comes after a Kiambu resident lodged a case seeking to stop him from contesting because he was impeached while serving as the county Youths and Sports Executive.
In the Woman Representative race, Jubilee’s Gladys Chania was confident of toppling her main archrivals Anne Muratha (UDA), and Mercy Nungari (Tujibembe Wakenya Party) and gospel artist Loise Kim (Independent).
In the Thika town Parliamentary race, a bruising duel is expected between UDA’s Alice Ng’ang’a and businessman cum Preacher David Kariuki Ngari alias Gakuyo.
Gakuyo who attended the meeting said the region’s political narrative has significantly changed where residents will only vote for natives and shun outsiders.
“Thika residents have stood their ground. The constituency has for a long time been lagging development-wise because of the habit of voting leaders who know less about the problems bedevilling the constituency,” Gakuyo said.
Ng’ang’a has for a long time been termed an outsider as she hails from the neighbouring Juja constituency.
Other aspirants who attended the meeting include Esther Gathogo (Ruiru), Gabriel Kago (Githunguri), Joyce Ngugi (Gatundu South), and Aloise Kinyanjui (Juja), Damaris Waiganjo (Kiambaa) and Mwethi Njenga (Kabete).
Edited by Kiilu Damaris