Mumias East MP Ben Washiali has distanced Jubilee from the petition filed by Nyeri Member of Parliament Ngujiri Wambugu to oust Chief Justice David Maraga. Wambugu had faulted the decision made by the Supreme Court, nullifying President Uhuru Kenyatta’s win in the August polls. “I speak as a Jubilee member and the Chief whip, our brother Ngujiri acted hastily,” said Washiali “Jubilee is a family and in a family, we must put together our ideas in order to decide what is good and what is bad.”
He said the MP didn’t involve other party members and leaders, “Ngujiri is my friend but he is trying to lead us on a bad path. If he had involved us in his decision, we would’ve sat together and told him the best path.” The parliament Chief whip reiterated that the country is currently stationed at a crucial point after the Supreme Court ruling and the approaching fresh elections, “If we compare this situation with a boat, then we are in a boat in the middle of the ocean. Therefore, this isn’t the time to make decisions that will generate unwanted thoughts in Kenyans’ minds.”
He refuted claims that Jubilee is using the influence of leaders who lost in the polls by luring them to the party in order to gain supporters, “As Jubilee, we value every Kenyan, we don’t discriminate in terms of popularity, that’s why you see both the leaders who were defeated in the polls and those who won are joining us,” he said, “If it was not for the Court’s decision, am sure many sitting Governors would’ve joined Jubilee by now, and even some have said they’ll work with us.” He cited Peter Munya’s decision to rejoin Jubilee after joining NASA, saying he made the decision personally based on what he had in mind without any interference.