Matiang’i’s headache over Jubilee party in Gusii

Jubilee presidential candidate Dr Fred Matinag’i’s call   to his Gusii community to elect all  their  leaders in the forthcoming 2027 general elections through the Jubilee party ticket  has been received  with resistance from his political admirers  and supporters, threatening his full support from the community for his  presidential quest.

While addressing mourners in North Mugirango constituency recently Matiang’i shocked candidates from other political parties who were present when he asked voters to elect governors, senators, MPs, women reps and members of the county assembly seeking elective positions through the Jubilee party.

Matiang’i asserted that by electing all leaders through the Jubilee party ticket, the move could strengthen his   popularity in his home turf area, and thus making it easier to unite the community without any challenge.

Aspirants for various elective positions dismissed Matiang’i’s call terming the move as ill advised, retrogressive and undemocratic as it was going to injure him politically since the move could divide the community votes thus affecting his presidential   bid in the region.

The six national political party chairmen from the Gusii region who never wanted to be quoted have disclosed that they had agreed with Matiang’i to rally their support and those of their members behind him for the seat of presidency with one condition that each party could be free or be allowed to field candidates in the other elective seats apart from the presidency   where their members may express their interests.

They noted that by Matiang’i going against the agreement over the condition of his presidential candidature, it means he was stirring a political war against them and their political parties where he finally could end up being the main loser.

The party leaders who spoke separately with the weekly citizen warned that unless Matiang’i apologised and retracted his words, then they and their members could start another move of shopping for another presidential candidate who could accommodate their political views and finally support his presidential bid.

They also reminded Matiang’i that he was committing a very serious political crime by trying to stifle democracy enshrined in the 2010 constitution by discouraging and asking members of his community to only vote for candidates who were contesting elective political seats through the Jubilee party ticket.

“In the first case, Jubilee party is a foreign party whose political roots are in central Kenya. He should be first grateful and thankful that despite belonging to a foreign outfit, we and the community has resolved to support his presidential bid through it and yet we have political parties of Gusii origin “One of the leading party chairman from the community stated.

The Gusii origin political parties which have come together and resolved to back and support Matiang’i for the country’s top political coveted seat are Kenya Social Congress (KSC) People’s Democratic Party(PDP), Kenya National Congress (KNC), People’s Progressive Party of Kenya(PPOK),United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Peoples Centered Party(PCP).

Members of the community who subscribe to the above political parties have accused Matiang’i of scheming to impose unpopular leaders on them in the coming general elections through the Jubilee party, a move they have vowed they could not accept at all costs.

Matiang’i has since denied that he has no favourite candidate for any elective seat. He has assured members of his community that its them to decide their leaders but not him.

In his Jubilee party, he has said that transparency could be exercised in carrying out the party nominations allaying fears that some candidates already have tickets in their pockets.

Led by Joseph Omoi, the residents disclosed that majority of those aspirants Matiang’i was rooting for were political failures and rejects who could only worsen his presidential candidature if they were rigged in by being direct Jubilee tickets.

Omoi has advised Matiang’i to be politically sensitive, by giving the Gusii community chance to elect of their own choice without his interference if he expects to get overwhelming support.

He reminded Matiang’i that the late Raila Odinga had also been losing the presidential seat continuously because of   always committing serious political errors of always supporting and imposing unpopular candidates for various seats in his Luo community.

A senior party leader, from the Kisii community predicted that the same fate was waiting for Matiang’i, should he continue to force members of his community to elect all their leaders through the Jubilee party.

The party political parties from the Kisii community are led by Kengere Atati (KSC), Evans James Misati (PPOK), Omingo Magara (PDP), Amos Nyaribo (UPA) and Manson Oyongo (KNC)