This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
Laikipia County, a region inhabited by the Kikuyu and Maasai communities, has witnessed a significant shift in political allegiances. The defection of Laikipia woman representative Kate Waruguru and Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere from William Ruto's camp to Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga's camp has left Ruto with only one foot soldier in the county, area senator John Kinyua.
Waruguru was the first to abandon Ruto when she met Raila at his Capitol Hills offices on an unspecified date. A day later, Korere followed suit, also elected on a Jubilee Party ticket. Their defection leaves Kinyua as the only diehard supporter of the DP, as the other two legislators, Amin Mohamed of Laikipia East and Mariru Kariuki of Laikipia West, both elected on Jubilee ticket, are said to lean on the president's side.
As a result of his loyalty to Ruto, Kinyua lost his post as the chair of the Senate Devolution Committee in the changes announced by the chief whip and Murang'a senator Irungu Kang'ata. He was moved to the less influential ICT Committee to replace West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio, who was named the Senate Majority Leader to replace Elgeyo/Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen, also stripped of his majority leader's docket.
Early this year, Kinyua affirmed his support for Ruto when he joined Laikipia leaders in endorsing former Agriculture Cabinet secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri as the next Mt Kenya kingpin and suggested he be the DP's running mate in the 2022 presidential election. However, days later Kiunjuri was sacked as cabinet secretary by Uhuru Kenyatta, sending him into political oblivion.
