Foe turns friend as Tiaty MP Kamket ditches Raila's Azimio, supports Ruto

Tiaty legislator William Kamket has ditched the Raila Odinga-led Azimio movement and declared his support for Kenya Kwanza.

This was revealed by President-elect William Ruto, who is also the Kenya Kwanza leader.

Mr Kamket, a longtime critic and political nemesis of Dr Ruto, surprised many in political circles when he recently congratulated the President-elect on his contested win. 

“To all Pokot Nation, the President of Kenya is William Ruto. The people have spoken, and I also affirm. We should accept,” said the MP, contradicting the stance of Azimio leader Raila Odinga who has termed Dr Ruto's win null and void.

At the time, Mr Kamket's utterances were taken as a sign that he could be shifting his political allegiance to the President-elect.

Mr Kamket retained his seat in the recent election on a Kanu ticket, becoming the only Azimio la Umoja One Kenya MP in Baringo County, a region seen as the stronghold of Dr Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party. However, Tiaty constituency is perceived as a Kanu stronghold.

Mr Kamket's party leader, Mr Gideon Moi, lost his Senator seat to UDA’s William Cheptumo. 

Over the years, Mr Kamket, a close ally of Mr Moi, has been a sharp critic of the DP, which put him at loggerheads with local leaders in Baringo County. 

Additional reporting by Florah Koech