Kabogo Cornered on Ditching Ruto After Fallout in UDA

Deputy President Willian Ruto, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula, and Tujibebe Wakenya Party leader William Kabogo at rally on March 12, 2022.
Deputy President Willian Ruto, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula, and Tujibebe Wakenya Party leader William Kabogo at rally on March 12, 2022.
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Tujibebe Wakenya Party leader and Kiambu gubernatorial candidate William Kabogo has hinted at ditching the Kenya Kwanza Alliance headed by Deputy President William Ruto.

During the Kiambu County gubernatorial debate organised by Citizen TV on Sunday, June 26, the former governor noted that he was riding out on his own and was not backed by any presidential contender.

The issue first surfaced when Citizen TV anchor Waihiga Mwaura asked the four candidates whether their manifestos were aligned with their Presidential candidates' agenda.

In response, Kabogo made it clear that he was not associated with any presidential contenders even though the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) had earlier confirmed that Tujibebe Party was among the 11 political parties that formed the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo addressing a rally in Limuru on Wednesday, June 15, 2022.
Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo addressing a rally in Limuru on Wednesday, June 15, 2022.
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Rigathi Gachagua

"Believe you me, I do not have a manifesto of any Presidential candidate as we speak. So I will be dealing with my manifesto which is just to improve the lives of the people of Kiambu and make it easy to survive and this can only be done not by opening a bank.

To open a bank today you need Ksh2.5 billion, a requirement of a fixed fund. The government will not be able to do those things. You can enter into a corporation in a bank as we did," stated Kabogo.

Waihiga then interjected the former governor reminding him that he had been spotted at Kenya Kwanza rallies in the past.

Kabogo, however, maintained that it was in the past and that in his Gubernatorial race, he was sailing out on his own.

"You must have seen me a while back. Things change Waihiga. Right now I am on my own and I am doing quite fine," he stated.

His sentiments is a departure from his earlier claim that he was not considering leaving the coalition but after falling out with Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Speaking to the press on June 20, the former Kiambu governor affirmed that he had not thought about joining the Raila Odinga insisting that he would try to work out their differences within the Kenya Kwanza camp before bolting out.

While he stated that they would wait for Ruto and the UDA party luminaries to address their concerns he insisted that they would leave the coalition if the letter was not answered.

Kabogo's sentiments came after Gatundu South MP, Moses Kuria in an interview with Citizen TV, stated that affiliate parties within the Kenya Kwanza faction had been sidelined urging the coalition partners to convene a meeting to discuss the way forward on issues affecting them.

Deputy President William Ruto and running mate Rigathi Gachagua during a rally in Uthiru on Sunday, June 5, 2022
Deputy President William Ruto and running mate Rigathi Gachagua during a rally in Uthiru on Sunday, June 5, 2022.
William Ruto