KANU chairman Gideon Moi has broken his silence on why he unexpectedly withdrew from the Baringo Senate race, revealing that his decision followed personal assurances from President William Ruto to complete stalled development projects in the county.
Speaking on Friday, October 10, at his family’s Kabarak home in Nakuru County, Moi said he stepped down after the President convinced him that the government would prioritise key infrastructure projects in Baringo, including roads and dams.
“Today’s meeting is for the President,” Moi told thousands of supporters gathered at Kabarak. “I was ready for the race, and so were you, but we never made it. The President assured me he would take charge of the projects we started, and I accepted to step down.”
The announcement came just a day after Moi failed to appear at the IEBC offices in Kabarnet to submit his nomination papers. His absence had caused confusion among supporters, but the KANU boss clarified that his withdrawal followed direct talks with Ruto.
“I told him I wanted to run because I wanted to help my people. When he promised to complete the work, I agreed to give him the space to do it,” he explained.
Friday’s meeting, attended by over 3,000 KANU members, local leaders, and senior Kenya Kwanza officials, marked a significant thawing of relations between the Moi family and the President.
President Ruto confirmed that he personally reached out to Moi to forge a working relationship aimed at uniting leaders for national development. “I looked for Gideon. The destiny of Kenya is greater than what either of us can get,” Ruto said.
The Kabarak gathering, the first of its kind in years, signaled a new era of political cooperation and could reshape Rift Valley politics ahead of the 2027 General Election.
