Kenya African National Union (KANU) chairman Gideon Moi will on Thursday, October 9, 2025, return his nomination papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in Baringo as he seeks a political comeback. Moi, who served as Baringo Senator from 2013 to 2022, is making another bid to reclaim the seat he lost to the late William Cheptumo of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
According to his aide Alex Kiprotich, Moi will appear before the Baringo Returning Officer in Kabarnet at 11 a.m. to formally present his papers. “Party chairman and candidate will be at IEBC offices on Thursday at 11 a.m. to present his papers,” Kiprotich confirmed, expressing confidence that Moi would regain his seat.
If cleared, Moi will face UDA’s Cheburet Chemitei, who emerged victorious in the party’s recent primaries after garnering 48,791 votes, alongside lawyer Benjamin Chebon, who is running as an Independent. The contest is expected to reignite the Moi–Ruto political rivalry in the region.
Speaking earlier this year during the burial of former MP Willy Kamuren, Moi dismissed the idea of a political handshake with President William Ruto, saying, “I do not need a handshake; I only need a handshake with the people of Baringo.”
The IEBC has set the campaign period for the by-election to run from Wednesday, October 8, to Monday, November 24, 2025, with voting scheduled for November 27. Campaigns will run daily between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., while the IEBC dispute resolution committee will handle complaints between October 8 and 17.
Moi’s late entry has already stirred political temperatures in Baringo. Mogotio MP Rueben Kiborek and Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap recently exchanged words over their differing support in the race, underscoring the growing political tension in the county once home to Moi’s father, the late President Daniel arap Moi.
