After UDA snub, ‘Jaguar’ hints at running for MP as an independent
Starehe MP Charles Njagua has protested the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party’s decision to issue a nomination ticket to his fiercest opponent, East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) member Simon Mbugua.
The MP, who recently dumped President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee Party to join Deputy President William Ruto’s UDA, says his constituents were denied a chance to choose their leader.
"The people of Starehe were denied their democratic right to go to the ballot again for the nominations and choose their leader," Mr Njagua, popularly known by his stage name “Jaguar”, posted on his Facebook page.
He went ahead: "The party decided to carry out opinion polls to decide whom to award the nomination certificate and it has been done."
Mr Njagua's protest came two hours after Mr Mbugua posted on his Facebook page that he had received his interim nomination certificate to fly the UDA flag for Starehe constituency in the August General Election.
"God is indeed great this evening I received my nomination certificate. I take this opportunity to thank the great people of Starehe for nominating me," said Mr Mbugua.
The cutthroat competition between the duo saw their supporters clash during the UDA nominations last Thursday, disrupting voting and prompting the party's National Elections Board (NEB) to cancel it.
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The party had initially ordered a rerun for Wednesday but it was cancelled at the last minute, with NEB chairperson Anthony Mwaura disclosing that both Mr Njagua and Mr Mbugua had agreed to use opinion polls to determine the suitable candidate.
Mr Mwaura said the duo had signed a commitment to accept the outcome of the opinion polls, and this was witnessed by himself and UDA secretary-general Veronica Maina.
"Could this be an outcome of the certificates that started making rounds before nominations? Is democracy at stake here?" Mr Njagua posed.
He said only the people will decide who their MP will be, indicating that he is likely to vie as an independent.
"I will be holding discussions with the people of Starehe and decide on the way forward. The voice of the people matters. We will not argue much, let the people decide," he said. BY DAILY NATION
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