Defiant Ruto fronts an alternative candidate for Msambweni

Tangatanga brigade has unveiled an alternative candidate for Msambweni Constituency following unsuccessful fielding of their earlier female candidate through Jubilee Party.

On Thursday Sept 24, DP William Ruto announced that Feisal Abdallah will be his preferred candidate in the race and this was after both Nyali MP Mohammed Ali of Jicho Pevu and his Malindi counterpart Aisha Jumwa had fronted Faisal.

On Wednesday, before consulting his party Jubilee, Ruto and his team had proposed a female candidate Sharlet Mariam Akinyi without much success. Akinyi has been an ODM party member but rushed to tender her resignation so that she can work with the DP.

And replacing Akinyi with Faisal, Dr. Ruto mentioned that all systems were ready to go with their new choice.

“Met an aspirant for Msambweni Parliamentary seat Feisal Abdallah Bader in the company of Coast MPs Athman Shariff (Lamu East), Moha Jicho Pevu (Nyali), Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga) and Hon Jumwa (Malindi) at Karen, Nairobi County,” Ruto tweeted.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Akinyi following Jubilee’s rejection of her papers last Wednesday.

“I came here to present my papers, but I am shocked that I will not be able to vie. Is Kenya returning to a one-party state?” Mariam stated in protest outside the Jubilee headquarters.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his ally Raila Odinga have been working harmoniously since they shook hands a year and half ago, and just like in Kibra race, they have also agreed not to compete in Msambweni and many other areas when by-lections are called for in a move political analysts claim is meant to derail Ruto’s 2022 bid.

But the defiant Deputy President who has of late been pulling in different direction with his own party boss mentioned that he was of the view that Msambweni should have their candidate.

“I met the party secretary-general and chairman and they briefed me on the decisions made and I am satisfied with what they have done even though I had different views,” he told the press on Wednesday.

And now just like in Kibra, Msambweni will be another hot duel between Odinga nad Dp William Ruto forces.