Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s closest ally in the Rift Valley Region, Micah Kigen, has officially defected from the Orange Democratic Movement to join President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance party.
UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar made the announcement after a meeting with the ODM politician at UDA headquarters in Nairobi.
“I welcome you to UDA, my brother Micah Kigen. I want to state that it is President William Ruto’s desire that we listen to Kenyans, pay attention to Kenyans’ issues of concern, and address those issues Kenyans are raising.”
The meeting was also graced by other leaders including UDA Treasurer Japheth Nyakundi and party members from Elegyo Marakwet County where Micah Kigen hails.
Micah Kigen was serving as the ODM chairperson representing the party in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
In 2022, Kigen was vied for the Keiyo South parliamentary seat on the ODM party ticket but lost the race.
While welcoming Kigen to the party, Nyakundi called on the recruit to rally his county residents in support of President William Ruto’s administration.
Kigen has been praised for his commitment and resource mobilisation with the officials adding that his entry to the party would boost the UDA’s capacity to compete both regionally and nationally.
The latest development comes hardly two weeks after Kigen held another meeting with the UDA Secretary General alongside other Elgeyo Marakwet politicians at Hassan Omar’s office in Nairobi.
Kigen now becomes the latest politician to defect from ODM.
