Nominated MP Sabina Chege believes retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s silence is sinking the Jubilee party.
She, at the same time, said that the poor turnout in the strongholds of Azimio leader Raila Odinga cost him his victory.
Chege, also the deputy minority leader in the National Assembly, said Uhuru’s desertion of duty as the Azimio coalition council chair and Jubilee leader is driving her side into political irrelevance hence the resolve to work with Kenya Kwanza.
She has come under sharp focus after leading a faction of Jubilee, a constituent party of Azimio, to State House to “discuss development”. The faction later staged a coup, dethroning Uhuru’s allies from top positions.
Chege told Inooro TV on Sunday night that she has no regrets over the latest string of events, blaming Uhuru for reducing them into political orphans.
“We have been desperately urging the former president to convene a meeting to no avail, only to see him addressing Azimio supporters after accompanying Raila to the burial of the former Education CS George Magoha,” said Chege.
She said despite Jubilee being the third biggest party in Parliament after UDA and ODM and the second largest opposition after ODM, it has been forced to settle for crumbs.
“Our party leader should not sit pretty as his soldiers that sacrificed their seats because of his preferred presidential candidate are being taken into circles by our sister parties in Azimio,” said Chege.
While referring to the two factions that have emerged in Jubilee fighting over the party’s leadership pitting the elected leaders and the embattled Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, Chege said she earned the deputy minority seat out of sacrifice and not favour.
“I sacrificed a lot for Azimio. I contracted malaria while at it and earned the reprimand of the electoral agency due to my remarks as I campaigned for Raila,” she said.
According to Chege, if by any chance she was to be dethroned from the position, another Jubilee member should get the position.
“We camped in Nyanza and conducted massive recruitment of voters where some old people did not even have identity cards. Our efforts saw us register impressive figures but during voting day, only 65 per cent turned up. This is why Raila did not clinch the presidency,” she said.
She complained that instead of Raila objectively evaluating the poll loss, he resorted to the same tactless measures of the past, rejecting the results and urging his followers to protest.
She said she had learned from Uhuru to give politics a break after the elections.
“Our party leader taught us to minimise politics and let the government implement its promises in his last term,” said Chege.
Chege said their forays into Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s office and the President at State House was to renegotiate unilateral revocation of her region’s share of State appointments made by the retired President.
“We first visited the Deputy President and after sharing our thoughts on a number of issues, he promised to fulfill some while referring us to the Head of State for other issues,” said Chege.
She added that there was no way she could have joined Raila in his people’s forums, claiming they are meant to increase his bargaining powers but in the end, his allies will be sidelined.
The former Murang’a Woman Representative denied claims they had been bribed to support the government, saying their agenda is to have a strong party that will be respected in Parliament.
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