Kenya's football darling MacDonald Mariga has thrown his hat into the ring for the heated race to capture the Kibra MP seat.

Mariga will also be battling the other Jubilee aspirants for the ticket to represent the party for the upcoming elections.

The Kibra seat became vacant after the elected MP Ken Okoth lost the battle to cancer.

Mariga's name was announced alongside four other aspirants in a letter that has now been branded "fake news" by the Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju.

Tuju later released the official letter announcing Mariga as one of the aspirants.

Tuju's officially released a statement saying,

"Our analysis and consultations confirm that our Jubilee Party is competitive enough in the forthcoming political contest."

"Following consultations within the Party Leadership with respect to Kibra Constituency, we would like to communicate to our membership that the Jubilee Party will be fielding a candidate in the forthcoming Kibra Constituency by-election scheduled for 7, November 2019.

Adding, "It is noteworthy that the neighbouring Lang'ata Constituency was won by Jubilee Party candidate contrary to conventional political analysis."

"We are therefore giving notice to our members who are interested in contesting the seat on a Jubilee Party ticket to forward their applications to the National Elections Board."