Macdonald Mariga appears to have joined Jubilee Party’s tangatanga faction after he was on Thursday spotted hanging out with key allies of Deputy President William Ruto.
The 32-year-old star footballer was on Monday cleared to contest the Kibra constituency seat on a Jubilee ticket and is expected to commence his campaigns this weekend.
And come Thursday, the former Inter Milan footballer was spotted hanging out with tangattanga duo consisting Lang’ata MP Nixon Koriri and former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale.
The meeting happened at the Sankara Hotel in Nairobi with other leaders in attendance.
Reconciled- Jubilee Candidates to back Macdonald Mariga…. pic.twitter.com/zvzcxhBaTc
— Dennis Itumbi, HSC (@OleItumbi) September 5, 2019
Khalwale is said to have played a crucial role in convincing Mariga to join politics.
AD HOC JUBILEE WING
Tangatanga is an ad hoc Jubilee wing of politicians who loudly rally behind DP Ruto succeeding President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.
And even as tangatanga rallies behind Mariga, a section of Jubilee legislators namely Moses Kuria, Maina Kamanda and Joshua Kutuny have openly expressed reservations with a Mariga ticket.
Meanwhile, the Jipange na Hutsler Movement, a youthful group which also supports Ruto, has backed Mariga.
“Mariga is an example of a hutsler who worked his way to the top through hardwork and discipline and is the perfect role model for the youth in Kibra. We have activated our network to ensure he bags the seat,” the Movements chairman Oscar Igaida explained.
ANC’s Eluid Owalo and ODM candidate, who will decided on Saturday, are expected to offer Mariga stiff challenge for the seat.
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