Azimio La Umoja party leader, Raila Odinga, suffered a blow in his quest to retain the Nyanza region, after more than 30 leaders pledged their loyalty to President William Ruto and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party on Monday, March 13.
The political leaders from Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori counties met the President and his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, at State House, Nairobi.
Among them were former Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) governors Okoth Obado (Migori), Jack Ranguma (Kisumu) and Evans Kidero (Nairobi).
Others were Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency chairman, Odoyo Owidi, and former Members of Parliament Martin Ogindo, John Pesa, Rose Nyamunga, Nicholas Gumbo and Edick Anyanga.
During the meeting, the leaders who were once staunch supporters of Raila revealed that they would support the government.
They argued that they were searching for advancing development projects for the Nyanza region, which would partly be achieved through close association with Kenya Kwanza.
To further weaken Raila’s influence in the region, the politicians vowed to continue mobilising more people from Nyanza to join Kenya Kwanza.
Kidero, who fell out with Raila after he missed the party’s ticket to vie for Homa Bay gubernatorial post, remarked that the region had agreed to work with the President to avoid being isolated from the rest of Kenyans.
Nyatike MP, Edick Anyanga, added, “As we speak here, we have already joined UDA with our supporters at the grassroots."
While welcoming the defectors, President William Ruto noted that Nyanza would benefit from close coordination with the government.
"We now have the opportunity to do the right thing for the people of Nyanza and change the politics of the region to that of development," he remarked.
His sentiments were backed by Gachagua, who argued that Nyanza needed a leadership overhaul.
"You need to create your space and liberate your community from bad leadership,” he told the defectors.
