Blow to Azimio as UDM party, 7 MPs join Ruto's camp

President-elect William Ruto has been handed a huge boost after United Democratic Movement (UDM)  party joined the Kenya Kwanza Alliance on Thursday.

Led by party leader and Mandera  Senator-elect Ali Roba, the group met Ruto at Deputy President's official residence in Karen, Nairobi.

Also present were Marsabit Governor-elect Mohamed Ali and his Mandera counterpart Mohamed Adan.

Others were Deputy Governor-Elect Mandera Ali Maalim, Wajir Senator-Elect Abbas Sheikh, MPs Umulkheir Kassim (Mandera), Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North), Kullow Hassan (Banisa), Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis), Mangale Munga Chiforomodo (Lunga Lunga), AbdulEnrahim Haro (Mandera South) and Adan Haji (Mandera West).

In last week’s polls, the UDM party pulled a surprise by winning two governor positions, 7 parliamentary seats and at least 35 ward representatives.

Mandera County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Adan Khalif was elected to succeed Governor Roba.

Marsabit Governor Mohamed Ali was re-elected under the UDM Party.

Legally, however, the UDM party is still a member of the Azimio coalition and can only leave the alliance in December.

Early this year, the party entered into a pact with Jubilee to back Azimio La Umoja Coalition presidential candidate  Raila Odinga.

The pact stipulates that a member party can only leave the coalition four months after a General Election.

With UDM joining Kenya Kwanza Alliance, this means that Ruto will have a majority both in the Senate, National Assembly and the Council of governors.

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati on Monday declared Ruto the president-elect.

Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes representing 50.49 per cent of the total vote, while his rival, Raila Odinga got 6,942,930, which was 48.85 per cent of the total vote.