It Was a Friendly Match - DP Ruto Speaks After UDA Candidate Won Kiambaa By-election

Deputy President William Ruto has finally broken his silence after United Democratic Alliance (UDA) John Wanjiku won the Kiambaa parliamentary by-election.

Speaking on Friday, the DP insisted that what was happening in Kiambaa was only a 'Friendly match' between the present represented by Jubilee and the future represented by UDA.

He went on to state that they put the people of Kiambaa through a very difficult test but because they are smart people they chose both the present and the future, which is signified by Jubilee winning the Muguga ward seat and UDA winning the Kiambaa parliamentary seat.

"Ile inaendelea pale ni friendly match kati ya chama yetu ya sasa ya Jubilee na chama yetu ya future ya UDA. Hakuna shida hapo hio ni maneno tu ya kawaida na unajua watu wa Kiambaa tuliwafanyisha mtihani mgumu sana to choose between the present and the future na wakawa watu werevu wakasema we have business with the present tutapatia kiti ya Muguga na pia tuko na mpango ya future wakapatia kiti ya UDA kutoka Kiamba si mnaona ni watu wamejipanga," said DP Ruto.

His remarks came hours after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced John Wanjiku of UDA the MP-elect for Kiambaa.

[Kiambaa MP-Elect John Wanjiku]

Wanjiku was declared the Kiambaa MP-elect after securing 21, 773 votes against Jubilee candidate Kariri Njama's 21, 263.

Jubilee's Kariri Njama enjoyed the support of President Uhuru Kenyatta while Wanjiku was backed by the Hustler Nation Brigade under the leadership of Deputy President William Ruto.

The Kiambaa mini-poll was largely peaceful although the voter turnout was low across the polling stations in the constituency.

The seat fell vacant following the death of then MP Paul Koinange, who succumbed to Covid-19.