The Jubilee Party has called on the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) to step down from the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, insisting that the seat should remain with Jubilee in the spirit of a united opposition.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Jeremiah Kioni argued that the arrangement should mirror previous by-elections where the United Opposition rallied behind a single candidate.
“We expect them to cede ground for the Jubilee Party. That was a seat held by the Jubilee Party,” Kioni stated, urging coalition partners to support the Jubilee candidate in the upcoming contest.
Kioni emphasized that consistency in coalition agreements is crucial for maintaining opposition unity, noting that past by-elections have set a precedent for such arrangements.
Wambugu Defends Jubilee’s Position
Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu has also weighed in, defending Jubilee’s push to retain the Ol Kalou seat. He dismissed arguments that the seat should not be held by Jubilee due to allegations that the late MP Kiaraho had cooperated with the government
Wambugu pointed to historical precedents, citing the Mbeere constituency case where Geoffrey Ruku worked with the government despite being elected under the Democratic Party, which was part of the opposition at the time.
“Those arguing that opposition should not cede Ol Kalou to Jubilee because Kiaraho was working with govt must also remember that in Mbeere, Ruku actually joined govt despite being in DP which was in the Opposition, but the seat was still ceded to DP,” Wambugu said.
According to Wambugu, individual political choices should not override formal coalition agreements, and the Mbeere example demonstrates that party seat allocations should be respected regardless of individual members’ alignments.
The Ol Kalou by-election has become a test case for opposition unity, with Jubilee Party insisting that coalition partners honor previous agreements and support their candidate in the race.
