Mishra: Why I’m Seeking Re-Election as An Independent Candidate

Kesses Member of Parliament Dr. Swarup Mishra has formally announced that he will be seeking re-election in the upcoming poll as an independent candidate.

Mishra, serving his first term was elected in 2017 under the Jubilee party.

But as other politicians in Uasin Gishu County were aligning themselves with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, led by Deputy President William Ruto, the Kesses legislator remained loyal to the Jubilee party and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The decision, however, put him on the receiving end, with DP Ruto allies branding the philanthropic MP as a rebel.

There have been sustained efforts to discredit Dr. Mishra’s candidature, with calls for locals to support only candidates in the UDA party.

In a recent interview, the Kesses MP said he was forced to go for an independent candidate for the sake of the electorate and himself.

“Looking and various scenarios, political gimmicks, and politicization of political parties, me and my great people of Kesses chose to go independent because of different scenarios and circumstances,” said the legislator.

Mishra however did not rule out the possibility of aligning to a political side in the near future.

“We will have to look at some political parties and formations in the later stage but for now, for the sake of my people, I will go independent,” said the Kesses MP.

With the decision to go independent, Mishra is now set to face off with a candidate that will win the UDA party primaries.

The party has attracted several aspirants among them former MP James Bett, former Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker Isaac Terer, and former Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee Member for Finance and Economic Planning CPA Julius Ruto.

UDA is set to hold its nominations between April 9 and 16, to pick a candidate that will face Mishra – in what pundits have described as a do-or-die battle.