On April 9, 2022, Deputy President William Ruto convened a meeting at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi, where Jesus Is Alive Ministries (JIAM) Bishop Margaret Wanjiru agreed to drop her bid for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat.
Wanjiru, a former Assistant Minister and Starehe MP, announced that she would instead vie for the Nairobi Senate seat.
According to Wanjiru, the decision to step down was a result of coalition politics, where 'there must be given and take.' She made this statement after the meeting at Deputy President's Official Residence.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja will now fly the UDA party ticket, awaiting the outcome of nominations from other parties to determine his main competitor.
The rivalry between Sakaja and Wanjiru was evident in February, when they clashed at a political rally in Nairobi. Sakaja cut short Wanjiru's speech, sparking an angry reaction from the former MP.
