President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) continues to bolster its numerical power by targeting and wooing opposition leaders affiliated to the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
On Saturday, November 19, former Kitui Senatorial candidate Stephen Kilonzo hosted local leaders from different political parties who jumped ship and joined Ruto's Kenya Kwanza camp.
The leaders mainly from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's ODM, Jubilee, and Narc affirmed that they will not be in opposition for five years. Politicians from Alfred Mutua's Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) were also part of the delegation.
"Our reasons for defecting into UDA is because of the interest of our people in Ukambani, we have had challenges with drought, hunger and that is why we have resolved that as a community we cannot spend another five years or ten years outside government," one of the defectors noted.
"People are not coming for the cake only, they are coming to help in cooking and making the cake bigger than it is, our wish is that through the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto the economic gains will not only reach those who have come but all Kenyans,"
President Ruto has been on a charm offensive casting his net far and wide to bring on board opposition-elected leaders to support his political agenda.
The President first snapped Mandera Senator Ali Roba's United Democratic Movement (UDM) Party which abandoned Azimio after the August polls.
On Thursday, August 18, UDM leaders pledged support for Ruto as Kenya's 5th President.
"We salute the United Democratic Movement leadership for abandoning Azimio La Umoja and joining Kenya Kwanza.
"UDM Party Leader and Mandera Senator-Elect Ali Roba, Deputy Party Leader and Marsabit Governor-Elect Mohamud Ali, and Mandera Governor-Elect Mohamed Adan Khalif were present at the Karen Residence, Nairobi County," Ruto communicated shortly after meeting the leaders.
On Friday, November 11, Lurambi Member of Parliament Titus Khamala was forced to clear the air after visiting State House in the company of other lawmakers from the Western region.
The Bishop explained that he was on a mission to discuss a road project that a contractor had failed to deliver since retired President Uhuru Kenyatta's time.
“The issue of defections ended way back before nominations, we are loyal to our ODM party because we have a contract with them until 2027. President Ruto is a friend. Our visit to him was all about the completion of projects in our constituency and nothing else,” he clarified.
Apart from Khamala, the meeting was attended by Ikolomani member of parliament Bernard Shinali, former Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali and Navakholo legislator Emmanuel Wangwe.
UDA is already planning to hold countrywide grassroots elections early 2023, to consolidate its support base, with push to have all the parties under Kenya Kwanza fold into one ahead of 2027 elections.
