Vihiga Senate aspirant Jackson Swadi has told Kabatesi Kibisu to stop confusing ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi.
Swadi on Monday said the way Kabatesi, Mudavadi’s private aide, is handling political issues within ANC will hurt the party boss.
Kabatesi on Saturday told the Star on the phone that some people want to force the party to give them direct tickets. He was responding to complaints raised by some aspirants, who said they were being elbowed out of the party, despite investing heavily.
“We have not pushed anyone out of the party. In fact, the case of James Babira Ndeda and Jackson Swadi is weird. The two have left the party already,” Kabatesi said.
“Swadi moved to Ford Kenya and has now moved to UDA. He said ANC is favouring Ndeda. Ndeda also bolted out of ANC claiming the party was favouring Swadi and he has joined the Progressive Party of Kenya led by former Vihiga Governor Moses Akaranga,” he added.
Kabatesi said Swadi and Ndeda were not elbowed out of the party, but they walked out on their own.
He said their decision to walk out of ANC and join Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties was a good decision, saying the two were a liability to the party.
Ndeda and Swadi are seeking Vihiga Senate seat.
Swadi confirmed he was quitting ANC for UDA.
“Yes it's true I have left ANC for UDA for some reason which I will share later,” Swadi told the Star on the phone on Sunday.
But Ndeda dismissed the claims, saying he has not left the party.
"I'm still a member of ANC party. If I leave I will first resign," he added.
On Monday, Swadi said he is not against party nominations but the way things are being handled in ANC, hopefuls will not contest on fair ground.
“We were not in the party for direct tickets. We knew the party had to subject us to nominations, but that should be done fairly,” Swadi said.
“We can’t be just struggling to popularise the party and they have already made up their minds on whom to give the ticket,” he said.
Ndeda told the Star said ANC wants to give one of the contestants in the Senate race a direct ticket.
“Some elected leaders who are conducting night meetings have reached out to one of the aspirants to join ANC for a direct ticket in what they call regional balancing,” Ndeda told the Star.
Swadi said Kabatesi has never been in any political arena for him to advise politicians.
“I was a councillor in Nairobi without Kabatesi. I have been an MCA in Nandi under UDF and ANC but he [Kabatesi] never played any role in my election,” he said.
“In fact, I never knew him and he shouldn’t talk as if he is the one sponsoring me.”
Edited by A.N
