The race to succeed governor Jackson Mandago in Uasin Gishu county took a U-turn immediately when former aspirant and Eldoret based tycoon Zedekiah Kiprop Bundotich popularly known as Buzeki ditched Jubilee party to join Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM).
Buzeki who has been termed as the frontrunner in 2022 Uasin Gishu’s gubernatorial race ditched Deputy President William Ruto’s political camp citing dictatorship and presence of graft cartels in the ruling party.
William Ruto who hails from Uasin Gishu county is on a mission to rise to the presidency and the DP has not been in good terms with CCM party leader Isaac Ruto since the two fell out leading to the formation of the newer party.
There is no doubt that Uasin Gishu county is one of William Ruto’s political stronghold and the DP enjoys over 90 per cent of the county’s residents.
Buzeki will have a rough time in convincing the residents to support his gubernatorial bid after joining William Ruto’s rival party.
It is obvious that CCM is less popular in the North Rift and Isaac Ruto’s strong criticism on William Ruto's supremacy and leadership in the Rift Valley region will add more complications to Buzeki’s efforts to be the next governor.
Buzeki will easily lose in Uasin Gishu gubernatorial race unless Isaac Ruto will agree to work with his nemesis and support his presidential bid especially when Ruto’s bid is facing strong opposition from the popular ‘Kieleweke' faction.