Former President Mwai Kibaki's nephew Joseph Kiragu has ditched PNU and will seek the Othaya parliamentary seat as an independent candidate.
Kiragu recently resigned from Kenyatta National Hospital to vie for the seat currently held by Gichuki Mugambi.
Mugambi defeated Mary Wambui in 2017.
Kiragu will run against Mugambi, Kagwe Muchiri of The New Democrats party, Ngunjiri wa Macani and Wanyanga Cecelia.
Speaking to the Star on Friday, Kiragu said he will not peg his campaigns on President Kibaki’s name and neither will he ride on wealth nor his prominence in the constituency.
He said he will be campaigning for himself and will not do so for any presidential, governor, senator, woman representative or MCA candidate.
Kiragu is a cousin of Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi and Jimmy Kibaki who is the deputy party leader of TND.
Kiragu said PNU has been experiencing internal wrangles which aren’t healthy.
He said party issues started immediately after they signed a coalition agreement with the Jubilee party under Azimio la Umoja.
“After PNU was swallowed by the Jubilee to form Azimio la Umoja, it became a mere shadow. I consulted widely and decided to vie as an independent candidate,” Kiragu said.
He said he is a charismatic and transformative leader who will catapult Othaya constituency to a new era and level of development if he wins.
“Fighting deep-rooted endemic corruption will be a priority. I promise to ensure efficient and effective utilisation of financial and human capital,” he said.
Nyeri gubernatorial candidate Peter Munyiri recently defected from PNU.
(Edited by Francis Wadegu)
