Former Kakamega County Senator Boni Khalwale on Friday officially defected from Ford Kenya to the ruling Jubilee Party.
While defecting, Khalwale asked the Luhya community to abandon the opposition.
The former Senator said that opposition has nothing to offer the community, noting that it is only Jubilee Party that can change the fortunes of Western Kenya.
Khalwale also asked Deputy President William Ruto not to wait for endorsement from President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He said that the DP Ruto must prepare to battle for the presidency without President Uhuru’s support, noting that no sitting president has ever successfully endorsed a candidate.
On his part, DP Ruto said the opposition must put its house in order and prepare for a tough race in 2022.
The Deputy President said that all seats in Jubilee will be won through a fair and transparent contest.
“Every candidate should, therefore, arm himself with development programs for them to sail through,” he said.
The Deputy President at the same time called for issue-based politics aimed at empowering Kenyans.
“For us to change our politics, we must build parties of national stature that would allow anyone to run a seat without tribal biases,” added Khalwale.