Kirinyaga woman rep Wangui Ngirici ditches Ruto’s UDA

After weeks of speculations, Kirinyaga Woman Representative Purity Wangui Ngirici has finally ditched Deputy President William Ruto's UDA party.

Speaking on Wednesday evening in Mwea, where she donated food to residents, the MP said she will now vie for the Kirinyaga governor's seat as an independent candidate.

"In 2022, I will not stand with any political party. I will seek to be elected as a governor as an individual and I'm confident that I will sail through," Ngirici said.

She faulted UDA officials for 'treating her badly' despite being one of the key party founders and investors.

Ngirici accused UDA officials of favouring her opponent Governor Anne Waiguru and expressed fears that she might be rigged out in the party's primaries if she remains in UDA.

"When I appeared at the headquarters, the officials tried to convince me to give up my gubernatorial ambitions and vie for the Mwea parliamentary seat on a UDA ticket. I refused, they were determined to kill my dream," she said.

"If UDA officials are telling me to vie for a junior seat, do you expect nominations to be free and fair?"

Ruto's appeal

On October 26, DP Ruto urged Waiguru and Ngirici to fight fair and square for the UDA ticket.

The DP was visiting the county for the first time since Waiguru joined his camp.

Ruto assured the two that it is the voters who will decide the UDA party flagbearer.

In a passionate appeal, the DP guaranteed all players free and fair nominations. 

“I want to assure you, the people will decide who deserves the UDA ticket. I will ensure that we have free, fair, democratic and verifiable nominations,” DP Ruto stated. 

Ngirici has been uneasy since Waiguru declared her allegiance to DP Ruto, so much so, that she swore to only focus on her gubernatorial bid and never to campaign for the DP outside her county.

True to her words, the MP, in October, gave DP Ruto's campaign tours in the Mt Kenya region a wide berth. She only joined him in his tour of Kirinyaga county.

Ngirici has openly expressed reservation with the manner in which Waiguru was warmly welcomed and treated by party officials despite being a johnny-come-lately in UDA. 

-Edited by Bosco Marita