The divisions in the Jubilee party has turned to be a blessing in disguise for small political parties in the Mt Kenya region.
The parties that are owned and/or controlled by billionaires from Central region are warming up the apparent vacuum being left behind by a once-dominant party in the region which propelled Uhuru Kenyatta into his second term.
As president Uhuru’s retirement approaches, the parties aim at attracting presidential candidates like William Ruto who will most likely be shopping for runing mates from Mt. Kenya.
As other politicians are reviving the dead parties, others are joining parties that have anonymous billionaires operating in the background.
The small parties that are sprawling back to life in Mt. Kenya include;
The Service Party- Headed by former CS Mwangi Kiunjuri
People’s Empowerment Party- Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria
Kenya National Congress- Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth
The Democratic Party- Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo
Party of National Unity- CS Peter Munya
The Usawa Party- Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria
Also, National Assembly speaker Justin Muturi is starring at reviving his membership in independence party, KANU party.
Even though Muturi has never left KANU, he has been lowkey in the party’s politics, mostly appearing as a Jubilee Party stalwart than a KANU member.
These political alignments come at a time when Jubilee Party’s influence in the region is diminishing.
Lately, the party lost the Rurii ward and Juja constituency by-elections to UDA and Moses Kuria’s People Empowerment Party parties consecutively.
On June 8, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru gave a hint that the party is falling apart and urgent measures ought to be taken to salvage it.
In a post on her social media pages, Waiguru called on the party to recollect so as to restore their lost glory.
“The party became what it was because of its diverse and broad support base. We have a much younger generation dominating the electorate. Our outlook and strategies must suit the times and so we must be willing to step off our comfort zone and embrace new ways of thinking and doing,” said Waiguru.
“A lot of futures are tied to the fate of the party and we must restore its vision, glory, and stature or contend with predictable consequences,”she added.
Other than lossing elections, Jubilee Party has also been divided by DP Ruto’s 2022 presidential ambitions.
The fallout gave birth to Tanga Tanga and Kieleweke pacts, hence weakening Jubilee even further.
