Jubilee Embakasi East MP candidate Maina Waruinge defects to UDA

Deputy President William Ruto has welcomed Embakasi East MP candidate Maina Waruinge to UDA.

Waruinge was vying on the Jubilee party ticket which is a member of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance coalition.

“Embakasi East Jubilee MP aspirant Maina Waruinge quits the race and defects to UDA to support Francis Mureithi,” DP Ruto announced.

Embakasi East MP candidate Maina Waruinge (left) had defected to UDA and shelved his bid Pulse Live Kenya

The former Azimio politician dropped out of the race just seven days before the August 9, General Election.

His announcement elicited a reaction from incumbent MP Babu Owino who dismissed Waruinge’s exit.

“Even if you (Ruto), you would not stand a chance against me,” Owino said.

In 2017, Muerithi, the UDA candidate vied on a Jubilee party ticket but lost to the current MP.

Recently In July 2022, Mureithi was arrested from his home after he was accused of being involved in a road accident in Western.

READ: Moses Kuria decries humiliation after being kicked out of UDA

"(He was arrested because of) some issue in Western Kenya but our team is on it. He was arrested in Nairobi overnight while at his home.

"He will be arraigned in Western but Police have not communicated. Our lawyers are still trying to find out. We saw the police arrest without giving full information so we are still trying to find out," said, UDA communications representative Wanjohi Githae explained at the time.

Mureithi lost the Embakasi East Parliamentary seat to Owino when the Supreme Court of Kenya affirmed the latter's victory in the 2017 general election.