Former Kajiado governor dumps Raila party for Jubilee

Former Kajiado Governor David Nkedianye (right) at Jubilee headquarters, Nairobi. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Former Kajiado Governor David Nkedienye has decamped from ODM party and declared that he will be seeking the Jubilee ticket to run for governor.

Nkedienye made the move one day after Governor Joseph Ole Lenku of Jubilee applied to defend the seat on the party that sponsored him in 2017.

The former governor and his supporters delivered his application documents at Jubilee party headquarters in Pangani.

"We have made this move because we are not cowards. We know the people of Kajiado are with us. We concur with the decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga that ODM will not present a candidate in Kajiado County. That's why we want to fight from within one party," said Nkedianye.

The former governor said he was ready to face off against Lenku, who will be seeking a second term in office. 

Raila Odinga with Governor Joseph Ole Lenku (right), Taraiya ole Kores and David Nkedianye at KCB grounds, Kajiado County. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Nkedianye's defection, which appeared to catch Raila's supporters by surprise, appeared to have been prompted by the horse-trading between ODM and Jubilee on picking one popular candidate who can attract support across the board.

It was not clear if Jubilee will subject the two leaders to party primaries or whether they will reach a consensus.

Former Kajiado East MP Moses Ole Sakuda said it was a wise decision not to field a candidate in Kajiado.

"We support this decision. Kajiado has been a Jubilee zone all along. ODM can field candidates in Narok County, which is known to be their zone."

Jubilee's Peter Mositet said, "We are considering to zone off Kajiado Central for ODM, which it occupies through Memusi Kanchory. All the others will go to Jubilee."