UDA Vice Chairman Kipruto Arap Kirwa quit the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and joined Raila Odinga’s Azimio One Kenya Alliance.
Kirwa who was Agriculture Minister in former President Mwai Kibaki’s Grand National Coalition made the surprise move during Azimio’s rally in Sirisia Bungoma which was led by Mr. Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua.
Saying that he had reached out to Martha Karua yesterday to ask where they would be, Kirwa promised to attend the Bungoma rally and said that his defection to Azimio was influenced by the announcement of Karua as Odinga’s running mate. “From today I Kipruto Arap Kirwa have resigned as UDA vice chairman and I have resigned because I have seen how democracy is going to be suppressed if we allow the other side,” he announced in Swahili.
He added that his vote will ensure Odinga gets the 50 pus 1 threshold required to clinch the presidency and expressed confidence in Odinga’s impending victory.