Strong independent candidates are threatening the supremacy of UDA as the party to beat in Nandi county in the August 9, polls.
Majority of UDA candidates picked by the party in April primaries have failed to make a big impact safe for the incumbent governor Stephen Sang who is campaigning vigorously for DP William Ruto.
Despite facing off with his predecessor Cleophas Lagat running as an independent candidate, Sang has taken the battle to constituency levels urging voters not to support the partyless candidates.
Lagat, a former governor lost, in the UDA nominations and opted to go independent and appointed seasoned politician Elijah lagat as his running mate.
Those defending their seats as independent candidates include MPs Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills), Vincent Tuwei (Mosop), Cornelly Serem (Aldai) and Nandi woman rep Tecla Tum running for Emgwen seat.
They lost in the April 14 UDA party primaries a move they claimed was planned to push them out of parliament by party big wigs.
The independent candidates have been campaigning and cementing their support in the grassroots giving UDA candidates stiff competition.
Governor Sang has been crisscrossing the constituencies asking voters to elect UDA and ensure Ruto gets enough MPs in Parliament.
“We must ensure our six constituencies elect UDA MPs so that Ruto gets maximum MPs in both the National Assembly and Senate,” Sang said at Chepkunyuk in Nandi Hills.
He is rooting for the election of Benard Kitur as the MP for Nandi Hills against Keter vying on an independent ticket.
The fortunes of Dr Tum in Emgwen constituency are in jeopardy following tough show by another independent candidate Samuel Kimutai Yator.
Yator, 39, is a medical doctor based in the US and hails from Kipture, at the heart of Emgwen constituency.
Political pundits say it would require the intervention of Ruto to persuade voters in Nandi to go for the “six piece” voting and rejection of the independent candidates.
The independent candidates got a major boost in Nandi when the Bishop of Kapsabet Anglican diocese the Rt Rev Dr Paul Korir asked residents to vet the right people to lead them without undue influence.
“Never buy the claims that those vying as independent candidates in Nandi are Azimio One Kenya sponsored people, they are people seeking justice, some were rigged out in the UDA nominations,” Bishop Korir said.
He spoke at St Barnabas pro-cathedral in Kapsabet on Thursday when handing over a boda boda motorcycle to a deaf rider.
UDA campaign brigade led by Didmus Barasa while on a campaign trail in Nandi county warned against the election of independent candidates in the region saying they would serve the interests of those who pay them.
“Avoid and ignore any independent candidate in Nandi because they will not serve UDA your mother party but the interests of rival parties for as long as the person's bread is buttered,” he said.
The UDA campaign caravan toured Nandi Hills, Aldai, Emgwen and Mosop constituencies where the independent candidates have shown their might.
Serem is battling it out with Maryanne Kitany of UDA while in Mosop, Tuwei is taking on UDA's Abraham Kirwa. In Emgwen Josses Lelmengit of UDA is facing off with Tum and Samuel Yator both independent.
