Baringo Central MP Joshua Kandie has ditched Maendeleo Chap Chap and joined United Democratic Alliance as he prepares to seek reelection next year.
Kandie said he will beat his opponents in the UDA nominations.
The MP won his seat on the less popular Maendeleo Chap Chap party in 2017. The party is led by Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua.
“Back then in 2017, my supporters cautioned me not to join Jubilee, but this time round they told me to join UDA,” he said.
On Saturday, he said he preferred joining the Deputy President William Ruto-led UDA because it is loved by the majority of Baringo residents.
“For those people who may think I’m not in UDA, they should now know from today Kandie is in it fully. I joined so I can show my competitors the door very early in the nomination,” he said.
He says he has done his groundwork well and hopes to defend and bounce back to his seat in the 2022 general election.
“I am a person of few words but my development record speaks for itself,” the MP said.
The legislator, who is serving his first term, is proud of his achievements.
Among others, he utilised the National Government Constituency Development Fund to construct several modern school classrooms and increased bursaries from an initial Sh300,000 per sub-location to Sh800,000.
Kandie said he has sunk several water boreholes, equipped hospitals and availed ambulance vehicles and fire engines.
His opponents for the seat include Baringo county assembly speaker David Kiplagat alias Kipkerich, former MP Sammy Mwaita and Emily Kigen.
Kandie becomes the second politician in the area to join UDA after Kabarnet MCA Ernest Kibet, popularly known as 'town mayor' ditched Kanu for UDA last month.
Kibet won the seat as an independent candidate in 2017 before rallying behind Kanu.
While presiding over a fundraiser at Kapropita AIC Church on Sunday, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi lauded the two leaders for fully joining UDA, describing it as a show of solidarity to ensure DP Ruto enters State House in 2022.
Other UDA-leaning politicians from Baringo are Governor Stanley Kiptis, Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, Moses Lessonet (Eldama-Ravine), Daniel Tuitoek (Mogotio) and Charles Kamuren (Baringo South).
However, Tiaty MP William Kamket and Woman Representative Gladwell Cheruiyot said they will not ditch Kanu, saying they are ready to die or make it with their party leader Senator Gideon Moi.
Gideon is expected to face DP Ruto in the August 9, 2022, presidential elections.
Meanwhile on Friday, Baringo residents in Kabarnet town mounted three wheelbarrows in a show of solidarity with DP Ruto.
Hundreds of people, among them market traders, boda boda and matatu operators turned up to witness the monumental installation of the UDA-coloured farm equipment.
"We support DP Ruto for the presidency because we trust his bottom-up leadership model will consider our own interests," the Kabarnet market chairperson Bridgid Kelunyo said.
They chanted "Ruto our fifth president" and "we're not turning back" as they erected the wheelbarrows outside the county assembly hall, in the market and at the bus terminus.
They said Ruto should come and visit the respective places and address his staunch supporters when he visits the county.
Kelunyo however said nothing will stop them from supporting and voting in DP, saying he stands out as a favourite candidate to take over from President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"If Ruto wins the presidency, we would like him to help us improve the state of our market and link us to affordable loans to uplift the dwindling economy," Kelunyo said.
Her sentiments were echoed by boda boda riders Isaac Kemei and Michael Korros who said Ruto's bottom-up campaign is unstoppable.
