• Orange party returns the favour
• Elmi denied ODM hand in his withdrawal
Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju has said President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga negotiated to have the ODM candidate pull out of the upcoming Wajir West by-election.
Addressing a press conference at Jubilee headquarters in Pangani, Nairobi, Tuju on Wednesday said the orange party was reciprocating what Jubilee did in the just concluded by-elections in Ugenya and Embakasi South not to field candidates.
"We would like to put it on record that this withdrawal by ODM follows high-level consultations by the leadership of the two parties. It may also be recalled that such high-level consultations informed similar decisions by Jubilee not to field candidates in by-elections in Ugenya and Embakasi South," he said.
On Tuesday, ODM's Mohamed Elmi withdrew his candidacy and announced that he will support former MP Ahmed Kolosh of Jubilee.
Elmi said his decision to withdraw from the poll slated for April 25 was arrived at following the intervention of Degodia clan over fears his candidacy would create divisions in the community. He said the decision had nothing to do with ODM.
“I have today [Tuesday] withdrawn from the Wajir West parliamentary seat by-election following days of negotiations within our community. ODM had nothing to do with it,” he said.
But Tuju said the political deals by the two parties are part of efforts to reduce political tension and polarisation. "It is imperative that our collective leadership always act in the best interest of the country and that we do everything possible for the benefit of the current and future generations," he said.