KANU Chairman Gideon Moi will not defend his Baringo Senate seat in the August 9 General Election, it has emerged.
Moi, a principal in the One Kenya Alliance (OKA), has reportedly dropped his bid for the senatorial seat to concentrate on national politics.
The decision, sources close to the KANU boss intimated to a local daily, was largely influenced by the recent political realignments.
KANU is one of the outfits in OKA that signed a pact to join the Azimio coalition at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) last Saturday.
The alliance has already endorsed ODM leader Raila Odinga for the presidency in the forthcoming polls.
Also Read: Atwoli Urges Gideon Moi to Ditch OKA, Declares DP Ruto Unfit to Lead Country
Moi is among the political big wigs in the alliance that has the blessings of President Uhuru Kenyatta, besides Odinga and Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka.
As a condition for joining Azimio, the senator is said to have negotiated for a national role, if the coalition clinches power in the polls.
Consequently, KANU has encouraged interested candidates to apply for the party ticket ahead of the Baringo senatorial contest.
“First l want to make it clear that Gideon Moi will not seek re-election in the August 9 polls because he is focused on national politics. In Baringo, Kanu welcomes any interested candidate to apply and use the party as their political vehicle in the General Election. So far we have no candidate in the race, but there is still room to field a candidate,” a source told Nation Africa.
Also Read: Gideon Moi Reacts to Reports of KANU Ditching OKA
Another source disclosed that the senator considers the seat junior owing to his current role in the national politics.
“Chairman is now playing in the English Premier League, he cannot again go back to playing in local leagues. He is now focused on national politics,” the source said.
KANU Secretary General Nick Salat also confirmed that Moi won’t be vying for the Baringo senatorial seat.
“Kanu is considering some options and we will field a candidate in the Baringo senatorial race to succeed chairman Gideon Moi,” Salat said.
Kahawa Tungu understands that the senatorial race will be a contest between KANU and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party led by Deputy President William Ruto.
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Moi and the DP have been embroiled in a protracted rivalry as each of them seeks to control the vote-rich Rift Valley region. Ruto is eyeing the presidency in the next polls under the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
Some of the Baringo leaders seeking the UDA ticket include Tenges ward rep Silas Tochim, Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, National Health Insurance Fund senior official Isaiah Kirukmet and Felix Chelaite.
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