Is President Uhuru Kenyatta out to finance Wangui Ngirici against Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and DP Ruto in Kirinyaga in his latest move to dilute deputy’s influence in the Mt Kenya region? A source who confided to this publication on condition of anonymity confirms Uhuru Kenyatta will offer a formidable financial war chest to his allies facing off with UDA in the vote-rich region.
However, it is in Kirinyaga that the president and his handlers have much interest in given it is the home to one of the most senior state officials in President Uhuru’s government ( PS Karanja Kibicho) who has openly said in the past UDA party leader William Ruto is not fit to be president.
After Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru decamped from the ruling party to UDA late last year, handlers of the president in collaboration with his allies in the county set the wheels in motion to have Woman Rep Purity Ngirici checkmate Waiguru and the UDA’s growing influence.
Read: President Uhuru to face off with DP Ruto in Mt Kenya
At the time of Waiguru’s defection to UDA, Ngirici was one of the closest allies of Ruto in Mt Kenya. However, things made a dramatic turn when the Woman Rep was immediately asked by the DP to step down for Governor Waiguru, and instead, she should go for the Mwea parliamentary seat.
Read: Anne Waiguru: President Uhuru and I still tight
An adamant Ngirici rejected the offer and insisted on fighting it out with Governor Anne Waiguru in the UDA primaries. Afraid she might sail through the nominations given her popularity with Kirinyaga residents, officials at the Hustler’s Center in Nairobi warned her (the Woman Rep) she would be rigged out in favor of Kirinyaga Governor. It was this revelation that broke the camel’s back.
Aware of what was coming, Wangui Ngirici declared she is running as an Independent candidate and has since kicked out UDA from her buildings in Kirinyaga and rebranded all her campaign trucks which previously had UDA colors.
