A private dinner hosted by Senator Kiraitu Murungi at his residence in Kigiine, Meru County has sparked trouble in the Jubilee Party with some lawmakers claiming they were being sidelined from party affairs.
The Senator who was elected to head the Jubilee campaign team in the Eastern region alongside Mithika Linturi and Florence Kajuju – who were both present at the meeting – is now being accused of favouring some candidates ahead of the nominations.
The dinner said to have been attended by almost all elected MPs from Meru County and 25 Members of County Assembly (MCAs) was apparently meant to discuss matters related to the Jubilee Party.
However, Tigania West MP David Kariithi, who is also in Jubilee, divulged that he was not invited and threatened to lead other lawmakers into forming a Jubilee "Team B" if the issue is not resolved.
“He did not invite me to his home. It is disappointing that he has decided to lock us out.
“It is not fair for Kiraitu, Linturi and Kajuju to exclude us from Jubilee matters. If this continues we are going to have a Jubilee A and Jubilee B in Meru,” Mr Kariithi threatened.
Some aspirants who include Joseph Mithika, lawyers GK Meenye and Mugambi Imanyara eyeing Igembe South MP's seat and senatorial positions respectively, announced that they had shifted to Governor Peter Munya's PNU Party.
The aspirants alleged that there was a plan being hatched to lock them out during the Jubilee nominations.
Meanwhile, Senator Murungi dismissed the allegations stating that it was his choice to invite whoever he wanted in his house.
“When you host a dinner in your house, you choose whom to invite,” Kiraitu stated.
The Jubilee campaign team has sparked controversy across all the 47 counties with aspirants alleging that there was a plan to lock them out and give the current politicians an edge over them.
The recent chaos forced President Uhuru Kenyatta to alter his initial plan of naming interim officials three months after the 2017 elections and instead they will be named this week after a meeting is convened by Jubilee officials.
