Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria will not defend his seat on a People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) ticket like previously thought, following reports ‘real owners’ of the party have decided to take back their outfit. Kuria’s allies have fingered the party’s chairman Watson Simiyu and secretary-general Joyce Mwambingu or being used by external forces to lock out the vocal MP.

On Friday, Kuria erected billboards in Kiambaa for the first time without the People’s Empowerment Party (PEP)’s colors and symbols, instead fully embracing the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

In Kiambaa, DP William Ruto personally was against the Gatundu South MP’s move of fielding a PEP candidate for the seat and had to convince Kuria to campaign for and fully embrace UDA to win the July mini-polls.

According to sources, PEP is expected to be taken over by former UNCTAD boss and Bungoma-based politician Mukhisa Kituyi who has already declared his interest to vie for the country’s top seat come 2022. Dr. Kituyi is expected to take over the party’s leadership, effectively kicking out Mr. Kuria.

Before rebranding to People’s Empowerment Party, the outfit was was first known as Mkenya Solidarity Movement under former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga. It was then taken over by the late Laikipia senator GG Kariuki who renamed it a People’s Empowerment Party before Moses Kuria came in.