Deputy President William Ruto on Tuesday met People’s Empowerment party candidate, Raymond Kuria, after he pulled out of the Kiambaa by-election.
Ruto said Kuria whom he met alongside his team opted out of the race to become Kiambaa MP for the unity of the Hustler Nation.
"Met with Raymond Kuria with his team from Kiambaa Constituency who have graciously agreed to vacate their political ambitions in the forthcoming by-election to support and work with John Njuguna Wanjiku, the Hustler Nation candidate, for the sake of unity and prosperity," Ruto said.
On Monday, Moses Kuria who is the PEP party leader announced that their candidate had withdrawn from the race.
Kuria said that the decision was made after consultation with Ruto.
"Yesterday I held extensive discussions with my boss and friend William Ruto on this matter. To make my two colleagues happy and above all for the unity of the Hustler Nation, PEP will NOT be fielding a candidate for the Kiambaa by-election," Kuria said.
The decision raised questions into what could be rivalry within the Hustler Nation allied parties.
The United Democratic Alliance in a statement welcomed the withdrawal of PEPs candidature in the by-election.
Secretary general Veronica Maina downplayed reports that Moses Kuria-led PEP had been forced to have their candidate pull out of the race, insisting that their withdrawal was out of goodwill, because UDA supported his candidate to a successful election in Juja.
"This will give the Hustler Nation an opportunity to focus on the campaigns without unnecessary division and negative energy," Maina said.
