Deputy President William Ruto seems to be preparing to back an independent candidate after Jubilee opted not to field a candidate in the coming Msambweni by-election in favour of ODM aspirant.

This was evident on Thursday after he met independent candidate Feisal Abdallah Bader, who is seeking to fill the shoes of the late Suleiman Dori as the next MP for Msambweni.

This comes a day after the DP was forced to half-heartedly accept his Jubilee Party position as announced by secretary general Raphael Tuju of not fielding a candidate in the mini poll.

"Met an aspirant for Msambweni parliamentary seat in the company of Coast MPs," an excited Ruto posted on Twitter on Thursday.

Similarly, Ruto also met coast MPs Athman Shariff (Lamu East), Mohammed Ali (Nyali), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga), Owen Baya (Kilifi North) and Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) at his Karen residence on Thursday.

This came as Sharlet Mariam, who defected from ODM and joined Jubilee, caused a stir at the Party headquarters in Pangani Thursday demanding the party’s nomination ticket to vie in the by-election.

“It is the democratic right of the people of Msambweni to elect a leader that they think is fit to represent them in Parliament. I’m very disappointed and I’m asking Tuju to give us direction,” am agitated Mariam said.