Scorned Wangui Ngirici dumps Ruto's UDA, embraces Raila Odinga presidency

Deputy President William Ruto has suffered a major blow after irked Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici dumped his United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Ngirici indicated that she was not pleased with how she has been treated by UDA officials despite investing her time and money heavily in the new party steered by Ruto.

Speaking in Mwea and Gichugu on Wednesday, she indicated that she will seek the Kirinyaga County gubernatorial seat in the 2022 General Election as an independent.

Ngirici bitterly accused Ruto’s UDA party of siding with her political archenemy, Governor Anne Waiguru, expressing fears that she could be rigged out of the UDA party primaries.

She also claimed she had been summoned to UDA headquarters in Nairobi by party officials and asked to step down for Waiguru, who is seeking a second term.

"When I appeared at the party headquarters, they told me to give up my governor bid and seek the Mwea Constituency parliamentary seat on a UDA ticket. I refused," Ngirici said.

The Woman Representative, who was an erstwhile strong opponent of Raila Odinga’s presidential ambitions, has warned UDA supporters of chaotic nominations ahead.

"If the UDA officers are telling me to vie for a junior seat, do you expect nominations to be free and fair?" she posed.

She added, “In 2022, I will not stand with any political party. I will seek to be elected governor as an individual. I'm confident that I will sail through.”

The move comes months after Waiguru joined UDA and vowed that she would not be pushed out of the party and she was ready to face off with the governor in primaries.

Ngirici has, in that regard, told Kirinyaga residents that they were free to elect ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga, ANC’s Musalia Mudavadi or even Ruto as president in 2022.

"I'm eyeing the governor’s seat but residents could elect any of those leaders I have mentioned as their president," said Ngirici as she embraced Raila’s bid as an option.

The Woman MP has skipped most of DP Ruto’s rallies in Mt Kenya region since the governor joined UDA and she has exuded confidence she would oust Waiguru in the 2022 election.

Ngirici is credited with building UDA’s profile in Mt Kenya and spearheading campaigns against the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) as Waiguru threw her weight behind it.