The outfit which is linked to Deputy President William Ruto unveiled the veteran politician at a ceremony attended by several lawmakers at the party headquarters along Kilimani’s Makindi Road, which has since been dubbed the ‘Hustler Centre’.
Speaking at this unveiling, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said the party was ready to fight it out at the ballot despite being a coalition partner of the ruling party Jubilee.
The Nairobi seat fell vacant when Governor Mike Sonko was impeached in December. Sonko did not have a Deputy Governor.
“We (UDA) don’t fear competition. If ODM has surrendered (from fielding a candidate), the Nairobi by-election will be between two rooms of the Jubilee coalition. We have a candidate here in Margaret Wanjiru. We win or we lose, that is a part of democracy,” said Murkomen.
The Registrar of Political Parties last week in a gazette notice indicated that UDA, formerly known as the Party for Reforms and Development (PDA) had changed its name.
Bishop Wanjiru will likely battle Jubilee’s Dennis Waweru if he qualifies in the ruling party primaries slated for January 9th.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has through a gazette notice published 12 independent candidates among former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu who are gunning to replace Sonko.
Waititu has since been barred from contesting by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) but has vowed to challenge the decision in court.
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