KANU Party Leader Gideon Moi has officially withdrawn from the Baringo Senatorial by-election scheduled for November.
The announcement was made by KANU Party Secretary General George Wainaina on Thursday, October 9, who confirmed that the party will not field a candidate, just days after Moi expressed interest in reclaiming his former seat.
His unexpected exit from the race came amid mounting questions after he failed to submit his nomination papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) within the scheduled timeframe.
Supporters who had gathered at the Baringo Airstrip in anticipation of Moi’s arrival were left disappointed, as the KANU Party Leader did not show up to present his documents. The electoral commission had allocated him a time slot between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, but he remained absent throughout the period.
Moi’s withdrawal has sparked fresh political speculation, especially following reports that he held a closed-door meeting with President William Ruto at State House, with sources suggesting that the by-election may have been a key topic of discussion.
Also Read: IEBC Announces Nationwide Temporary Jobs Paying Up to Ksh2,500 Daily
Earlier, a section of KANU Party-leaning residents from Baringo County held demonstrations lamenting what they alleged was a move by the government to block Gideon Moi from presenting his nomination papers to the IEBC ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline.
“We need peace. We need calm. We need tranquillity in order to facilitate citizens to exercise their constitutional rights and to vote freely without any harassment, without intimidation, without violence and without improper influence or bribery. So, we expect the political parties and their candidates to observe the code of conduct which has been set there,” said IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon.
Gideon Moi withdraws from Baringo Senatorial race, Vincent Chemitei to fly UDA flag in the by-election
Vincent Kiprono Chemitei from Mochongoi Ward, Baringo South, is poised to represent the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party in the upcoming Baringo County senatorial by-election, following his victory in the party primaries held last month.
Chemitei clinched the party ticket after garnering 34,612 votes in what was described as a historic electronic voting exercise — the first of its kind in the region. The e-voting process, praised for its efficiency and transparency, marked a significant shift in the conduct of party nominations.
Also Read: Gideon Moi Clarifies Supporting Ruto in 2027
His closest contender, Wycliffe Kipsang Tobole, came second with 24,683 votes, while Daniel Kiptoo trailed in third with 15,343 votes. The remaining five aspirants — Sylas Tochim, Reuben Chepsongol, Joseph Cherutoi, Isiah Kirukmet, and Linus Kamket — each received fewer than 150 votes.
County Election Commissioner Mary Mutinga lauded the exercise as free, fair, and largely smooth, with minimal technical issues reported. She encouraged IEBC to consider adopting electronic voting in future elections.
President Ruto, in a statement on Thursday, extended his support to Chemitei and other UDA Party candidates participating in upcoming by-elections across the country.
“Best wishes to our UDA parliamentary candidates Kiprono Chemitei (Baringo), David Ndakwa (Malava), Muriuki Muthende (Mbeere North) and Ahmed Maalim Hassan (Banisa) in the upcoming by-elections. Wishing them well as they present their nomination papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission,” said President Ruto.
Chemitei received greenlight from IEBC to run in the November 27 poll just hours after Moi bowed out of race.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
