This archive report was first published on 28 August 2019.
On July 26, 2019, Ken Okoth, the Member of Parliament for Kibra, passed away after a battle with cancer, leaving the seat vacant.
Just a week later, on August 26, 2019, a statement allegedly from the Jubilee Party listed McDonald Mariga, a former Kenyan international footballer, as one of the aspirants looking to run for the Kibra seat in the upcoming by-election.
The letter, which was signed by Raphael Tuju, the party's Secretary-General, was later dismissed as fake by Tuju himself.
According to sources from statehouse, the list donning Mariga's name came from the Deputy President's office, allegedly as part of a plot to field a weak candidate to help Raila Odinga's ODM candidate win the elections.
Mariga, a retired footballer who won the UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan, has not spoken publicly about his interest in politics, but sources claim that he was approached by Deputy President William Ruto and former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale to run for the seat.
Mariga is not the only celebrity interested in the Kibra parliamentary seat; Reggae DJ and TV host Chris Odhiambo, also known as Kriss Darling, has confirmed his intention to run, while former Harambee Stars teammate Dennis Oliech has had his contract with Gor Mahia terminated due to his interest in the seat.
