President William Ruto has continued to make inroads in Azimio leader Raila Odinga’s Luo Nyanza stronghold after former Rangwe MP Martin Ogindo ditched his party and joined UDA.
Ogindo announced on Friday that he had ditched his party, Green Congress of Kenya, and teamed up with the President in UDA. At the Green Congress of Kenya, Ogindo held the position of party leader.
“I want to announce that I have left the Green Congress of Kenya. As I speak, I am now a member of UDA. You all know that one cannot belong to two political parties at the same time,” he told the Green Congress of Kenya National Executive Council meeting in Nairobi.
“There comes a time you have to leave and when you do so, it should be in peace. I know the incoming party leader will chart the way forward for the party."
Ogindo added that he will work towards strengthening UDA in areas he has influence.
“I wish you well and wisdom to navigate into the future,” he told the NEC members.
The new Green Congress of Kenya party leader Hillary Alila wished Ogindo success in his new endeavours.
"You cannot say no to a chance to serve Kenya,” Alila said.
Alila said his focus would be to strengthen the party and recruit new members.
Ogindo has been among politicians from Luo Nyanza working with Ruto's administration.
In March, Ruto picked Ogindo to be the chairperson of the Kenya Fish Marketing Authority.
The ex-MP chairs the influential agency tasked with promoting and marketing fish products.
Ruto has been on an overdrive to make inroads into Azimio leader’s Nyanza backyard.
Luo Nyanza has been steadfast behind the opposition chief since his first stab at the presidency in 1997.
Raila has always been able to effortlessly rally the region to back his bid and political decisions even with disgruntlement from a section of former allies in the region.
His influence has also played a key role in swaying the Gusii vote to his side.
Presidential hopefuls whom Raila has competed with in the past have managed only a few votes from his Nyanza backyard.
In early October, Ruto conducted a four-day development tour of the Nyanza Region.
The President’s tour focused on the development of infrastructure aimed at stimulating the region’s economic growth.
President Ruto noted that the Nyanza region will play a leading role in the advancement of the Bottom-Up Transformation Agenda.