Laikipia Governor Nderitu Muriithi, also the chairperson of Azimio la Umoja presidential campaigns board says he was surprised when Azimio Movement leader Raila Odinga appointed him as the chairperson of his presidential campaigns board.
Speaking to a local publication on Monday, Governor Muriithi revealed when Mr. Odinga visited his county last year he was impressed by the development initiatives being undertaken by the Laikipia county government and wished the same be replicated across the county.
”I was personally surprised when Mr. Odinga picked me to chair the board and I gladly accepted the position. I think he appointed me because he felt I am qualified. When he visited Laikipia last year he was impressed that we are doing the kind of things, especially on innovation that he would wish replicated across the country,” the governor said, adding that the Azimio leader prefers working with professionals.
Read: Kenyans hail appointment of Nderitu Muriithi to head Odinga’s 2022 presidential campaign board
In the detailed interview, Governor Muriithi also explained how he fell out with Deputy President William Ruto and was summoned to Karen in 2017 over the dissolution of the Party of National Unity (PNU), something that cost him Jubilee Party nominations and had him end up running as governor on an Independent ticket in 2017.
”He demanded to know why I was opposed to folding up of PNU and this is what I told him on his face: ‘look, I cannot give you the permission to fold PNU because I don’t own the party’… Later we saw some people being photographed saying PNU had disbanded,” the Laikipia county boss says on the Karen summon, thereafter which he was rigged out of Jubilee Party nominations in favor of former Governor Joshua Irungu.
”It was evident that I won the nomination but officials told me they were ordered that I should not get the ticket. The Political Parties Dispute Resolution Tribunal also found that I had won but all the same the ticket was given to my competitor. I decided to look for options and I won. My opposition to the merger could have contributed but I cannot for sure say it was the reason I got rigged out. That the pressure came from Dr. Ruto may have been speculation but again he is the one who was responsible for the nominations,” he added.
Read: Inside President Uhuru, Raila Odinga, Azimio MPs State House meeting
Apart from heading Mr Odinga’s campaign, Governor Nderitu Muriithi is heavily involved in bringing the Party of National Unity (PNU) back to life and it is expected he will be using the outfit to defend his seat in August this year.