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Mariga to Face Off With His Former Football Coach in Kibra by-elections

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

The race for Kibra parliamentary race is hotting up as Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) moves to the ballot on Saturday to conduct nominations aimed at fielding their flag bearer in the race.

The party has lined up 10 candidates who are to face off in an effort to seek party’s ticket. they are;

  1. Stephen Okello Oguwa
  2. Christone Odhiambo Owino
  3. Peter Ochieng’ Orero
  4. Tony Ogola Sira Sine
  5. Reuben William Ayako Ojijo
  6. Obaricks Eric Ochieng’ Obayi
  7. Brian Shem Owino
  8. Benson Musungu
  9. John Milla Otieno
  10. Bernard Otieno Okoth

However, Peter Ochieng Orero, a renown teacher and immediate Dagoreti High School Principal has been speculated to be Raila’s preferred candidate.

He however dismissed the allegations on Thursday saying that he was not even aware of such allegations, and added that if they were there, then it was Kibra people saying that because of his close interaction with them for many years as a teacher.

If he manages top go through tomorrow’s nominations, he will have to face off with his former student, the Jubilee candidate McDonald Mariga.

Orero revealed that football star was his former student at Kamukunji High. He further revealed to have coached Mariga in football during his time at Kamukunji High School.

“He’s a footballer. I was his football coach. I am the one who mentored Mariga up to where he is,” he said.He described Mariga as a very humble young man who might have been pushed to join politics.

Anxiety is now on ODM’s nominations. Will Orero go through to face off with his former student in November 7 by-elections?

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Politics

Reconciled- Jubilee Candidates to back Mariga

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Jubilee candidates in the just concluded nominations have allegedly reconciled and vowed to support soccer star McDonald Mariga in November 7 Kibra parliamentary race.

The candidates had threatened to support the opposition candidate in the upcoming by-elections arguing that Mariga had been rigged in during the Monday nominations.

But taking to social media on Thursday, Statehouse employee Dennis Itumbi who currently works at Deputy President Dr William Ruto revealed that the candidates had reconciled and vowed to back Mr Mariga.

Mariga has been rumored to have been imposed on Jubilee by DP Ruto.

One of the candidates Mr Morris Peter Kinyanjui who had protested Mariga’s selection said the selection was “not only unfair, deceptive and shrouded in secrecy but also contrary to the provisions of the Jubilee Party constitution.

In his petition to Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju that was received on September 3, Mr Kinyanjui stated that Article 11 of the party’s constitution provides for “open, free, fair and transparent nomination in national and county elections through consensus, secret ballot or through the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)”.

He further said: “Not only was there no nominations conducted, the board “arrogated upon itself powers it does not have to conduct the aforesaid selection, and even then they did not feel it right to inform the aspirants.”

Since Itumbi alleges that the candidates have reconciled, Mariga will now face ODM candidate who will be nominated on Saturday September 7 through ballot, ANC’s Eliud Owalo and Ford Kenya’s Eng. Khamisi Butichi.

The Kibra MP seat fell vacant following the demise of Ken Okoth who succumbed to cancer in July.

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Politics

Jubilee MPs open up on how Mariga was imposed on the party by Ruto

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A section of Jubilee Party MPs has broken silence on the ongoing debate on McDonald Mariga’s ticket in the upcoming November 7 Kibra by-elections.

The soccer star was given a direct Jubilee ticket on Monday evening. But according to a section of leaders from the party, Mariga has been imposed on the party by Deputy President Dr William Ruto.

MPs Maina Kamanda (nominated) and Moses Kuria (Gatundu South) on Tuesday said they would back Opposition Chief Raila Odinga’s ODM candidate in the poll set for November 7.

Mr Kamanda said he would not allow Deputy President William Ruto to ruin the peace brought by the handshake between Raila and President Uhuru Kenyatta with his “selfish political interests”.

Mariga on Monday denied claims that his decision to vie for the seat was influenced by Dr Ruto.He said he had sought the advice of people close to him before deciding to throw his hat in the Kibra by-election ring.

Kamanda yesterday dismissed the former footballer’s assertions, saying Ruto was using him as a pawn in his quest to face off with Raila in Kibra.

“The candidate Jubilee Party picked has been imposed on the party by Ruto. He is Ruto’s candidate and not Jubilee’s. I am for a candidate who will be announced by ODM,” said Kamanda.

He questioned Ruto’s keenness on having a candidate in Kibra, even after Jubilee decided not to field any in Ugenya, Migori and Embakasi South for the sake of the handshake.

As a result, the leaders have vowed to support the opposition in the upcoming by-elections.

Mr Kuria said Mariga was not suited to represent Kibra. He vowed to throw his weight behind Benson Musungu should ODM settle on him.

Kuria said Mr Musungu had lived in the sprawling informal settlement and understood it, adding that the handshake had freed them to support any candidate irrespective of the party.Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja was also cagey on who intended to back in the Kibra by-election.

He said he had hoped Jubilee would back an ODM candidate to continue the late Ken Okoth’s legacy in Kibra.“I had asked my party to back a candidate from ODM, but that request was declined. What I can say is that Kibra needs a good leader who can continue what Ken started,” said Mr Sakaja.

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Politics

Details: Mariga is not a recognized voter in Kenya

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Soccer star McDonald Mariga’s Kibra MP candidature on a Jubilee party ticket has continued to raise more questions, with the latest being whether he is a registered voter or not.

The questions started on Monday evening after the President Uhuryu Kenyatta-led Jubilee party gave him the ODM flag to fly in the November 7 Kibra by-elections.

Details have however emerged that Mariga was listed as a voter in Kariakor only two weeks ago and may not be considered as a registered voter in Kenya just yet. 

This is because, the updated register has not been gazetted as required by law.

The last time IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati gazetted the voter register was in 2017.

But Jubilee Party NEB chairman Andrew Musangi quickly dismissed the claims as rumours, insisting one only needed to register to be a voter.

“The law only says that one should be a registered as a voter not gazetted to participate in an election, either as a voter or as a candidate. The gazettement does not make you a voter. It is the act of registration that makes you a voter,” he was quoted by a local daily.

“Gazettement is only evidence, but if I register as a voter, you are given a voter’s card and this is what you walk with as a voter. So, these are rumours. And by the way, if there is an issue, the IEBC will communicate to us and we will respond as a party.”

There are also accusations that Mariga was just rigged in, being Deputy President Dr William Ruto’s preferred candidate.

On Tuesday, one of the Jubilee Party contestants in the just concluded nominations Morris Peter Kinyajui appealed against Mariga’s nomination, arguing that Mariga is not a registered voter.

“To make matters worse, the said selected person is not a resident or a voter of Kibra constituency and there are serious doubts whether or not he has ever voted,” he protested.

“His candidature will be an impossible sell to the people of Kibra given the calibre of MP we had in the immediate past.”

Party secretary-general Raphael Tuju confirmed to a local daily that an appeal had been launched.

Will Mariga’s journey to parliament be easy as thought?

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Politics

Did Ruto rig in Mariga in the Jubilee nominations?

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Circumstances that led to President Uhuru Kenyatta-led Jubilee Party to land on McDonald Mariga Wanyama as its preferred candidate in Kibra by-elections has continued to stir different reactions among Kenyans.

Mariga on Monday evening was announced as Jubilee’s candidate, which the party through its NEB chairman Andrew Musangi said the decision was reached after a detailed interview.

The party initially had 16 candidates who presented them at the headquarters in Pangani, Nairobi for the interviews.

Besides Mariga, Morris Kinyanjui, Walter Trenk, Ibrahim Said, Doreen Wasike, Oscar Kambona, Bukachi Chapia, Jane Githaiga, Jack Owino, Elli Rajab and Daniel Aden were interviewed.

Others were Daniel Orogo, Ramadhan Hussein, Frank Amollo, Timothy Kaimenyi and Geoffrey Mwangu were interviewed.

However, accusations have now come out that Deputy President Dr William Ruto rigged in Mariga. Gabriel Oguda, a renown columnist says Doreen Wasike who was the Jubilee candidate in 2017, coming 2nd behind Ken Okoth was rigged in favour of Mariga.

The columnist has also accused Ruto of rigging in Mariga “simply because Mariga represents Ruto’s betting firm.”

“Doreen Wasike was the Jubilee candidate in 2017, coming 2nd behind Ken Okoth. She presented herself for vetting today, but Ruto rigged in MacDonald Mariga who has no political clout, simply because Mariga represents Ruto’s betting firm. You now know who’s been fighting women,” tweeted Gabriel Oguda.

Mariga will face ANC’s Eliud Owalo, Ford Kenya’s Khamisi Butichi and an ODM candidate. The Orange party will hold its nomination on Saturday.

The seat fell vacant following the demise of Ken Okoth who succumbed to cancer in July.

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Politics

‘Kibra itakunyoa bila Maji na Sabuni,’ KOT tell Mariga as Kibra race hots up

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

The Kibra parliamentary race is really hotting up after President Uhuru Kenyatta-led Jubilee party settled on soccer star McDonald Mariga as their candidate in the November 7 by-elections.

Barely hours after Mariga was given a direct ticket on Monday, Kenyans have taken to social media to weigh into his candidature.

According to Mariga, he wants to become the Kibra MP because he was born and raised in the area, but Kenyans on twitter have not failed to buy his idea.

They are now accusing him of being someone’s project, an idea that Mariga has refuted.

They are claiming that he was not born and raised in Kibra as he claims.

Activist Boniface Mwangi claims that Mariga is a project of Jubilee and Betin, a gaming and gambling company, which he has been severally used to advertise.

Newspaper columnist Gabriel Oguda has argued that Deputy President William Ruto rigged in MacDonald Mariga “who has no political clout, simply because Mariga represents Ruto’s betting firm.”

Others have argued that Kibra is and will always be a Raila Odinga’s zone citing that someone is trying to ruin Mariga’s football career.

They have argued that Mariga has done nothing fruitful to Kibra people throughout his successful football career.

“Kibra is and will always be a Baba Zone. Take your logic to the bank and tell me how much you can get. Now, Mariga… is someone trying to ruin him or just eat his money? Someone tell me, what this guy has ever done with all his millions? Kibra itamnyoa bila Maji na Sabuni,” tweeted one of the twitter users.

Do you think Mariga will win the November 7 by-elections against ODM and ANC candidates?

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Politics

Moses Kuria schools Ruto over Mariga’s Kibra candidature

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria has taken to his official twitter account to issue a piece of advice to Deputy President William Ruto hours after Jubilee party’s decision on who to fly its flag in upcoming Kibra by-elections.

On Monday, 16 candidates presented themselves at Jubilee Party Headquarters in Pangani, Nairobi for interviews and vetting.

Among the candidates who presented themselves is soccer star McDonald Mariga, who is said to have been pushed by former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and DP Ruto to vie for the Kibra vacant seat.

After the interviews, Mariga was declared the preferred Jubilee candidate in the Kibra parliamentary race.

After the declaration, Khalwale was among the first people who took to social media to celebrate Mariga’s Kibra candidature.

“We are lost for words to record our profound & sincere heartfelt gratitudes to the @JubileePartyK for nominating our young Macdonald Mariga as the candidate for the by-election in Kibra Constituency. Twende kazi! ” Khalwale tweeted.

However, Moses Kuria did not read from the same script with Jubilee Party. He took to social media to condemn Mariga’s nominations, issuing Ruto with a piece of advice.

He told Ruto to let Mariga spend time to grow Kenya’s football and talents. He further told Ruto to let Mariga be, since he will live to join “this silly, dirty game of politics another day.”

” Let Macdonald Mariga spend time to grow our football and our talents. Siasa itakuwepo leo, kesho na mtondogoo. @WilliamsRuto let the young man be. He will live to join this silly, dirty game of politics another day,” he wrote.

Mariga will be facing off Raila Odinga’s ODM candidate who will be decided in the Saturday nominations, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC candidate Eliud Owalo and Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya candidate who will be unveiled this week.

The Kibra MP seat fell vacant following the demise of Ken Okoth who succumbed to cancer in July.

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Politics

Mariga makes triumphant entry to Jubilee Headquarters ahead of interview( Watch Video)

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Soccer Star McDonald Mariga on Monday morning made a grand entry at Jubilee party’s headquarter in Pangani, Nairobi.

Mariga is among 16 aspirants who will be interviewed today for the Jubilee Party ticket to contest the Kibra parliamentary seat as focus now shifts to the elections board.

Mariga was escorted by a group of his supporters who carried placards bearing his name and Jubilee logo.

The supporters sang songs praising the player in luhyia’s famous Isukuti dance.

Some were heard singing “Mariga tukomboe”, which barely translates to Mariga save us.

If cleared, Mariga will be Jubilee Party candidate for Kibra constituency by-election scheduled for November 7.

He will face off ODM candidate who will be decided after the September 7 nominations, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC Party’s Eliud Owalo and Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya candidate who is not yet to be unveiled.

The Kibra seat fell vacant following the demise of Ken Okoth who succumbed to cancer.

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Politics

Jubilee’s youth boss showers Mariga with blessings ahead of Kibra race

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Jubilee’s Youth League President, Gideon Keter, has endorsed soccer star, McDonald Mariga, for the much hyped Kibra MP race.

Through a tweet, Keter has claimed that Mariga is just like any other youth in Kenya and if at all he declares his interest to contest under Jubilee’s ticket, then he has his full blessings.

Keter’s endorsement comes as Mariga is drawn at center of the Jubilee’s infighting. This follows IEBC action to return the letter which Mariga was listed among the five candidates to represent the party in Kibra race.

IEBC was compelled to return the letter after the Party disowned it terming it fake.

But the letter has been strongly defended by Ruto’s camp. Dennis Itumbi,who is a close associate of Ruto, has been sharing several tweets that confirm Mariga is a registered Jubilee member and that he was among the individual picked by the party to vie for Kibra MP seat.

This infighting in the Party has forced Ruto to intervene by blasting Standard Newspaper for propagating rumors meant injure Jubilee’s reputation and escalate the matter.

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