[Taita-Taveta governor John Mruttu. He has refuted claims that he has resigned from ODM Party to vie as an independent during the forthcoming general elections. Courtesy: The Star]
Taita-Taveta governor John Mruttu has rubbished reports indicating that he has ditched ODM Party even as the August polls draw nigh.
The reports had suggested that the governor had decided to vie as an independent candidate.
But speaking on Wednesday, the County chief maintained that he was firmly in the opposition party ahead of the implementation of a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal that directed the outfit's elections board to conduct a repeat of the primaries in parts of the county.
“I have not resigned from my party and when I do so I will let my supporters know,” he said.
The governor lost the ODM party primaries to his closest challenger and Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadheghu.
Mruttu garnered 14,817 votes against Mwadheghu's 17,557 votes.
But the governor contested the results, leading to the nullification of Mwadheghu's win.