Ainabkoi Member of Parliament William Chepkut has defended his decision to seek re-election in the upcoming general election as an independent candidate.
Chepkut who won the seat in 2017 as an independent candidate, after failing to clinch the Jubilee party ticket during the nomination snubbed calls to join the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
UDA is considered a popular party in Uasin Gishu, and many believe winning the party’s ticket is a major step towards getting elected in the August 9, 2022 poll.
Politicians from the Rift Valley region that have refused to join the party which is led by Deputy President William Ruto have been branded rebels.
Most of the DP Ruto allies see those not in UDA as opposed to the DP’s presidential bid.
But according to Chepkut, the assumption that politicians not in UDA are against Ruto is wrong.
“Running as an independent candidate in RIFT VALLEY doesn’t amount to opposition to DP presidential ambition,” the legislator posted on his official Twitter handle.
According to the MP, individuals branding them as anti-Ruto and moles are political brokers.
He insists that his interest, in seeking another term as Ainabkoi Member of Parliament is to work for the people.
“The pedestrian Campaign of branding Independent Candidates moles is hogwash. We will work for the people and not political parties brokers and elites,” Chepkut added, in the tweet in which he tagged billionaire businessman Zedekiah Kiprop Bundotich alias Buzeki.
Buzeki is expected to vie for the Uasin Gishu gubernatorial seat as an independent candidate.
This will be the second time the businessman-cum-politician is vying for the seat, having failed in his first attempt during the 2017 general election.
For Chepkut, he will be facing off with former MP Samuel Chepkonga who won the UDA ticket in the recent nominations.
The battle will be a repeat of the 2017 clash, in which Chepkut won.
Aside from Buzeki and Chepkut, there are several other politicians in Uasin Gishu that will be vying as independent candidates.
They include the current Senator Prof. Margaret Kamar, Kesses MP Dr. Swarup Mishra, and his Moiben counterpart Silas Tiren, all of who will be defending their seats.
