The entry of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru into Deputy President William Ruto's camp has caused political jittery as jostling for a UDA party ticket for her county's gubernatorial seat gathers pace.
Kirinyaga Woman Rep Purity Ngirici appeared as the automatic UDA party candidate for the seat, but the tides changed when Waiguru made an about-turn and joined the DP's camp.
A few weeks after joining, the Kirinyaga Governor has managed to bring close influential associates of DP Ruto, a move that has seen Ngirici give the outfit a wild-berth.
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As Ngirici appears pushed on the periphery Waiguru has lately been pictured enjoying the company of Senator Susan Kihika, MPs Aisha Jumwa, Gathoni Wamuchomba and Cate Waruguru; a group of women that forms part of DP Ruto's formidable campaign team.
While she has maintained her loyalty to the UDA party, Ngirici notably missed DP Ruto's Mt Kenya rallies sparking speculations on what she could be up to.
Conjecture has it that her bitter rivalry with Governor Waiguru has kept her at bay from the DP's activities with other reports claiming that she is rethinking her political future forcing her to go slow.
In an apparent response to reports surrounding her change of tact lately, Ngirici confirmed on Wednesday, November 24, that she is playing her cards well as she calculates her next moves.
"I would liken politics to a game of chess. When your opponent makes a move you don’t rush to make yours; You study the game carefully so that your next move is to give a checkmate to your opponent. Let us remain focused and calm and as my supporters always jokingly tell me; ”Ngirici you always play chess ♟ and not football”. I reiterate the same," she said.
With the DP promising a free and fair election, Ngirici and Waiguru will face each other in the UDA party primaries; a do or die battle the two will not wish to lose.
Ngirici, who has been in the UDA party since its inception to a level of opening party branches across her county, has maintained that the ticket is hers to lose even as she urged Waiguru to ready herself for defeat.
Waiguru on the other hand has maintained that she will not be cowed to back down because of her perceived "late entry" into UDA.
