President Uhuru may have sanctioned the defection of nominated Jubilee Senator Emma Mbura to Maendeleo Chap Chap, the Star has learned.
Sources said Uhuru asked Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua to "capture" Mbura before she made good on her threat to decamp to NASA.
At first Uhuru, through proxies including Nairobi woman representative Rachael Shebesh, had tried to dissuade Mbura from jumping ship.
But she declined saying she would be denied the party ticket regardless of the outcome of nominations.
Mbura, who is eying the Rabai MP seat held by William Kamote, quit the party citing frustration.
She pointed fingers at DP William Ruto and Kilifi North MP Gideon Munga’ro.
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She told the Star on Tuesday, after she was officially received by Mutua in Rabai, that she chose to move to a Jubilee-friendly party based on "advice from friends who groomed her for politics.
On Wednesday, she wrote a letter to Uhuru thanking him for shaping her politically and believing
in her capabilities.
“It is out of this belief that you noticed my leadership capacity as a strong community mobiliser and personally took my hand to mentor, mould and build my leadership capacity to national status," she said.
She noted her nominated to the Senate Assembly to champion women's interests, through Uhuru's former party TNA.
The Star has learnt that Mutua called Mbura at around 10am on Tuesday, a day before she was to announce which party she would move to.
“The call lasted not more than 20 minutes. She then asked us to make impromptu arrangements for a gathering of about 700 because an important guest was coming. She didn’t say who, but we later learnt it was Mutua,” a close ally said.
Mutua arrived at around 3pm and is said to have been surprised by the crowd, which numbered about 1,300, since it was an impromptu arrangement.
The Governor is Uhuru’s close ally and has declared support for his re-election bid.
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Mutua said he will help Mbura implement water projects in Rabai by drilling boreholes using
technology from Japan.
“Mbura is mindful of the local mwananchi. Those are the leaders we want...hose who don’t sleep but pursue development for their people,” he said.
The Governor also defended Uhuru against claims of corruption saying it is the people around him who are soiling his name.
“He knows... he knows what he will do,” said Mutua.
Uhuru sees Mbura as an asset to Jubilee due to her vocal and eloquent speech delivery and resonance with women in Rabai.
Her defection to Maendeleo Chap Chap is a blow to her perceived political enemies, including Munga’ro, who had wanted her out of Jubilee and any affiliated party.
But Mbura suggested that the Deputy President does not want her to vie for the Rabai seat and that he tried to endorse former JAP chair Nelson Dzuya and Amir Mwinyi.
Ruto’s camp is yet to respond to these allegations.