Mutua Katuku, the Maendeleo Chap Chap candidate in the forthcoming senatorial by-election in Machakos County has officially stepped down from the hotly contested race.

The party headed by Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua made the announcement to withdraw Katuku’s candidature on Tuesday.

The decision by Mutua’s party follows a virtual meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and political party leaders in which he called for an amicable solution in the Machakos poll.

Dr Alfred Mutua. PHOTO/TWITTER 

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Kenyatta met leaders from his Jubilee Party, Raila Odinga’s ODM, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC, Gideon Moi’s KANU, Moses Wetangula’s Ford Kenya, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper and Charity Ngilu’s NARC.

The exit of former cabinet minister Katuku now leaves Kalonzo’s Wiper candidate Agnes Kavindu Muthama to face off with Urbanus Ngengele of UDA, linked to Deputy President William Ruto.

William Ruto and Urbanus Ngengele. PHOTO/COURTESY

This comes as the Machakos High Court started hearing a case challenging Kavindu’s eligibility to vie in the March 18 by-election over alleged questionable academic papers presented by Kavindu, former wife of former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama.

Agnes Kavindu Muthama. PHOTO/COURTESY

She faces accusations of violating the election laws by failing to present a post-secondary certificate to electoral body IEBC before she was cleared to vie for the vacant Senate seat.

The case filed by voters Wilfred Musyoka and Philippe Sadja also listed Musyoka’s Wiper Party and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission as respondents in the suit.