It takes a courageous person to make such a bold move as this one made today by Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Deputy President William Ruto has said.
He added that leadership is about making difficult decisions and this move has made the people of Kirinyaga proud.
The DP said together with President Uhuru Kenyatta, they had worked with Waiguru to shape Jubilee's development plan and that her joining UDA would strengthen the Hustler movement's think-tank.
Ruto asked party members and supporters to accommodate those joining, adding that nobody should feel threatened.
"Our UDA model is not a winner-take-all model, we want to accommodate all. We must all share."
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Waiguru today joined UDA after months of speculation.
She led a group of 25 MCAs in decamping from Jubilee after a meeting with Ruto at his Karen residence.
Speaking during the meeting, Waiguru said her move to UDA was informed by the people of Kirinyaga.
"We have listened to the people of Kirinyaga who have told us chama ni UDA, form ni hustler na mpango ni bottom up," she said.
Waiguru went on, "We are not joining UDA for the sake of it. We believe in the bottom-up model. In Kirinyaga, we have our own bottom-up example called the Wezesha empowerment programme that is changing the lives of people in the villages."
Waiguru said the majority of Kenyans support Ruto for the 2022 Presidency.
Pushed to the wall by the shifting political ground in Mt Kenya, Waiguru has dumped Jubilee Party for UDA.
In recent times, the governor’s support for Jubilee Party has been wobbly. Like the perfect politician, she turned to an ecstatic crowd to provide some assurance, feigning hesitancy.
“Mimi nitawauliza ndugu zangu na dada zangu, kwa sababu naskia mtanirudisha, mnataka nikuje na chama gani huku Kirinyaga? (I ask you my brothers and sisters, because I’m told you will reelect me, which party should I use),” posed Waiguru in September.
The crowd responded with emphatic UDA chants.
“Nikikuja na hio chama mnasema mtanirudisha 2022? Mimi ntasema sio mimi nlisema. Niliuliza wananchi na vile wananchi wanasema, hio ndio njia tutafuata. (If I vie on that party ticket, will you reelect me come 2022? I will say, about my move, that I followed the will of my constituents),” she added.
Her exit from JP was just a matter of time. Earlier this month, Waiguru complained that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) was being used to frustrate her after she raised concerns on Jubilee’s future.
Her entry into UDA, however, complicates matters for Ruto. Waiguru will face off with Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici for the UDA gubernatorial ticket.
Ngirici is an ally of the DP. Ngirici had long dared Waiguru to bring it on, in UDA.
“If the people of Kirinyaga decide that you (Waiguru) are going to be their next governor, I am willing to support you. But if I beat you during nominations, you’ll have to support me,” she said.
