Machakos County Assembly Speaker Florence Mwangangi yesterday withdrew from the governor race and offered to deputise Nzioka Waita.
Mrs Mwangangi, who had declared she will vie on a Wiper ticket, stepped down and immediately defected to Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU).
Mwangangi was immediately declared the party's deputy leader. She said her action was not prompted by any coercion or intimidation but by her conscience.
"Nobody pushed me. I decided on my own," she said.
She also said her decision was informed by her principles and the love for the people of Machakos. "My decision was prompted by the principles of Nzioka which match mine," she said, adding that the interests of the electorate supersede those of an individual.
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Mwangangi said they agreed with Nzioka on an equal power sharing arrangement. Nzioka said his union with the speaker would take Machakos County to greater heights.
"I want to assure the people of Machakos that our unity will shake the entire county because what we anticipate to do for people of Machakos when they elect us will be historic," he said.
He said theirs will be a corruption-free government that will ensure all the money allocated to Machakos is appropriately utilised for the benefit of the residents.
Nzioka dismissed rumours that he has withdrawn from the race. "Let them prepare to face me and Mwangangi," he said, and added that the people of Machakos were tired of leadership of deceit.
