Youthful senatorial aspirant ditches Jubilee, to go independent

Meru County Senatorial seat has caused an unexpected division that has seen Jubilee Party candidate Naftaly Kathurima quit the ruling party and run as an Independent Candidate.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Kathurima, a former Kenyatta University student leader and Kinoti Gatobu's running mate in the 2017 Gubernatorial race in Meru, said he ditched the party for lack of transparency.

"I personally respect Jubilee as the ruling party and the party of our President. But the failure to hold credible and transparent nominations has seen us lose confidence with the party."

"With all this in mind, I and my campaign Secretariat have resolved to go under independent candidacy. I promise to deliver the seat and we will do everything humanly possible to bring this home,' he added.

Kathurima, who hails from the vote-rich Nyambene, region has vowed to give his opponents a run for their money in the August polls.

He has said that he will work closely with Agriculture CS Peter Munya to deliver the Tigania and Igembe votes.

Karuthima is a close associate of Munya.

Remaining barely less than a hundred days to the August polls, Kathurima has urged the people of Meru County to get out in their numbers and support his bid.

He said that his bid is a seed whose time to germinate has come and nobody can hinder it from sprouting.