Parties of National Unity (PNU) and Jubilee party gubernatorial candidates in Embu have differed sharply over the use of the President Uhuru Kenyatta’s name in spearheading their campaigns in the region.
Kithinji Kiragu, a PNU candidate, has rubbished assertions by Jubilee’s Cecily Mbarire over claims that those in other parties should keep off from aligning themselves with President Uhuru if not in Jubilee.
Kiragu said it is wrong for Jubilee leaders to assert that only Jubilee Party members can garner support for President Uhuru terming it as hindering democracy.
Kithinji said most of leaders in Embu County who have left Jubilee fearing that the party will not hold free and fair nominations and that some candidates are getting preferential treatment than others.
He said Jubilee has been marred by bribery and underhand deals thus cutting off some aspirants and that was reason enough for them to shift to other political parties to offer electorate more choices of leaders to elect from.
Kithinji said while nominations do not involve all the voters some candidates may end up losing to party preferred candidates and thus the reason why majority have abandoned the party.