Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's closest ally in the Rift Valley Region, Micah Kigen, defected from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to join President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, October 29, by UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar after a meeting with the ODM politician at UDA headquarters in Nairobi.
The meeting, which was held at the Hustler Plaza, was also graced by other leaders including UDA Treasurer Japheth Nyakundi and party members from Elegyo Marakwet County where Micah Kigen hails.
"I welcome you to UDA my brother Micah Kigen. I want to state that it is President William Ruto's desire that we listen to Kenyans, pay attention to Kenyans' issues of concern, and address those issues Kenyans are raising," Omar stated while welcoming Kigen to the party.
Before joining the Kenya Kwanza affiliate party, Kigen served as the ODM chairperson representing the party in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
In 2022, Kigen was among politicians who vied for the Keiyo South parliamentary seat. Kigen ran on the ODM party ticket but lost the race.
While welcoming Kigen to the party, Nyakundi called on the recruit to rally his county residents in support of President William Ruto's administration.
During the meeting, the UDA politicians praised Kigen for his commitment and resource mobilisation with the officials adding that his entry to the party would boost the UDA's capacity to compete both regionally and nationally.
The latest development comes hardly two weeks after Kigen held another meeting with the UDA Secretary General alongside other Elgeyo Marakwet politicians at Hassan Omar's office in Nairobi.
Following the announcement, Kigen becomes the latest politician to defect from UDA to ODM. His decision comes amidst allegations about a potential merger between ODM and the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
However, ODM leaders led by its Chairperson Gladys Wanga in a recent press briefing dismissed claims of merging with President Ruto's coalition. Wanga, while addressing journalists in Kisumu on October 15, clarified that the party was still in the opposition.
Wanga stated that the ODM party just like any other political party would front candidates in all the elective positions including the presidency in the next general elections scheduled to take place in 2027.
