Matiba back in State House race
Posted by African Press International on November 16, 2007
Story by WAIKWA MAINA and KNA
Publication Date: 11/15/2007
Saba Saba Asili chairman Kenneth Matiba has joined the State House race.
He is expected to present his presidential nomination papers to the Electoral Commission of Kenya at KICC on Thursday.
Mr Matiba, who has been out of national politics since he lost his presidential bid in 1992, had earlier this year said he was as fit as a fiddle and had recovered from his illness.
Parliamentary papers
In a telephone interview with the Kenya News Agency, Saba Saba Asili director Mohammed Kusoma on Wednesday said once Mr Matiba gets the green light from ECK, he will proceed to Murang?a to present his parliamentary papers for the Kiharu seat.
Mr Kusoma said the party?s parliamentary aspirant for Kiharu constituency, Mr Tony Kibutha, had stepped down in favour of Mr Matiba.
Contacted for comment, Mr Kibutha said he was consulting before deciding to contest or not. He blamed Mr Matiba for spoiling his chances of being elected Kiharu MP on a Saba Saba Asili ticket.?
On Wednesday, Mr Kusoma said the party will also field parliamentary and civic candidates in other constituencies.
Mr Matiba will now battle it out with President Kibaki, ODM?s Raila Odinga, ODM-K?s Kalonzo Musyoka and KPP?s Pastor Pius Muiru in the presidential race. For the Kiharu seat, he will face off with either outgoing MP and Foreign Affairs assistant minister Kembi Gitura or Mr Ngenye Kariuki, who are both eyeing the PNU ticket.?
Mr Matiba contested the presidency in 1992 on a Ford Asili ticket and finished second behind Kanu?s Daniel arap Moi.
In 1997, he burnt his voter?s card, claiming that the elections had been rigged in advance.?
He also stayed out of the 2002 elections.
Late last year, he registered again as a voter at Kirogo polling station.?
Saba Saba Asili organising secretary Joel Kanguchu yesterday said the party had nominated Mr Matiba for both the parliamentary and presidential race.?
Last year, Mr Matiba had declared he would contest on a Kanu ticket. He spoke during the Wangu Investments Company annual general meeting.?
Since then, party officials have convened several meetings which Mr Matiba was expected to attend but did not.
The last meeting was held at the Wangu Investment Company headquarters in Kiharu. Mr Matiba is chairman of the company.
Lifted and published by Korir, API/APN africanpress@chello.no source.nation.ke
