Businessman Jimi Wanjigi has ditched Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party for Safina on whose ticket he plans to contest for the presidency in the August 9 elections.
He was on Wednesday received into Safina by party leader Paul Muite who announced that Mr Wanjigi would be endorsed as the presidential candidate during a National Delegates Convention (NDC) on March 21 at the Bomas of Kenya.
But Mr Muite noted that should there be other aspirants seeking to fly the party’s flag, the delegates will conduct elections and pick a candidate through a competitive process.
“So far only Wanjigi has expressed interest in our party’s ticket but the delegates will have the free will to elect the flag bearer should other aspirants come on board,” Mr Muite said at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi moments after handing a Safina party life membership certificate to Mr Wanjigi.
He said Safina will field candidates in all the positions including the presidency but will not enter into any pre-election coalition deal.
“We are going it alone. We shall only work with other like-minded parties after the elections,” said Mr Muite.
He said the Raila Odinga-led party humiliated him during its NDC at Kasarani on February 26, forcing him to defect to Safina.
“We were in a home called ODM, the party I first ever joined in 2018 believing our ideology and policies were still in sync following our 2017 working together in Nasa.
“We came together to end the oppression and backward policies of the Jubilee government but I was shocked when my party leader went for the ‘Handshake’ on a date like today (March 9, 2018), four years ago,” said Mr Wanjigi.
He described Safina, whose symbol is an ark, as the vessel that “will carry Kenyans to the promised land”.
The ceremony was also attended by Safina Secretary-General John Wamagata, Chairman Duncan Nyale, businessman Steve Mbogo and former Rangwe MP Martin Ogindo whom Mr Wanjigi introduced as the chairman of his presidential campaigns.
Mr Muite said Safina was concerned about the dignity of Kenyans, noting that the party envisions a country where every citizen has access to affordable healthcare, adequate housing, clean water and is economically empowered.
“That is the business that remains to be achieved. Wanjigi chose to join Safina because of its ideology, what it stands for and its vision,” he said.
Mr Mbogo, who has been a member of ODM said “we came to Safina with zeal, zest and temerity never witnessed in the party before”.
“We have hope of economic liberation because where there is a will, there is a way.
“The country needs a liberator. It is suffering economically hence the need for economic liberation,” he said.
Mr Nyale said: “We want to send a clarion call to the people of Kenya. We have an economic turbulence and we are providing an option, come to the ark to survive this economic turbulence.”
“Every Kenyan deserves a chance to live in dignity. No Kenyan should sleep hungry due to lack of food.
“We want every Kenyan to have access to affordable healthcare, adequate housing, clean water and be economically empowered. That is the business that remains to be achieved.”
Mr Ogindo said Mr Wanjigi had found a new home in Safina after being in the “wilderness for so long”.
“He is a fearless person and Kenya requires fearless people to steer it to success,” Mr Ogindo said.
