This archive report was first published on 28 August 2019.
On August 26, 2019, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) received a letter from an unknown sender, listing five names, including that of football star McDonald Mariga, as aspirants for the Jubilee Party's ticket in the Kibra by-election.
The letter, which was circulated on social media by State House digital strategist and blogger Dennis Itumbi, was addressed to IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati and claimed to be from the Jubilee Party.
However, when contacted for comment, Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju denied writing the letter, stating that he had issued a press statement on Monday indicating that the party would field a candidate in the Kibra by-election.
"I just gave a press conference telling those who are interested in contesting to get in touch because we won't do the normal nomination process in which people line up or vote or whatever," Tuju said.
"Ours will be an interview process whose deadline is Friday," he added.
On the letter to the IEBC, Tuju said: "Some busybody somewhere is trying to do something I don't understand. I will investigate."
"The signature which is there is fake. Well, I sign like that for certain types of communication but for official communication to IEBC there is a specific signature with secret codes which is not that one," he added.
Meanwhile, Jubilee Deputy Secretary-General Caleb Kositany appeared to authenticate the list, saying, "Those are part of the aspirants who have expressed interest and others will still come. So let's just wait until we clear the process."
