Former Narok ODM governor candidate Moitalel ole Kenta has rubbished claims that he had ditched the party, maintaining that he was in the Orange party to stay.
Mr Kenta told the Nation by phone that he will remain in the party per the wishes of his supporters, who are the members of the predominant Maasai community.
“I am in the ODM party to stay. I was voted [for] overwhelmingly by the Maasai community who are in ODM. Claims that I have joined President William Ruto’s UDA are not true,” affirmed Mr Kenta.
Mr Kenta said he and his supporters are in ODM to stay and any future political engagements will be decided by the people of Narok collectively and communicated appropriately.
“I wish to state categorically that at no time have I met or in any way or manner communicated such intention to any journalist,” Mr Kenta said.
Mr Kenta said that Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit, the council of Maasai elders, women and young people advised him to withdraw the petition he had filed to challenge Narok Governor Patrick ole Ntutu’s (UDA) election.
He said he listened to them for the sake of maintaining the fragile unity of the community and warding off external forces seeking to divide them.
“It should further be noted that my withdrawal of the petition is not an acceptance of what happened in Kenya in general and Narok in particular on August 9, 2022 but only a heeding to a passionate call of the people who stood by me, supported me and voted for me almost to a man/woman,” he said.
The former Narok North MP maintained that he was ‘rigged out’ by UDA in the gubernatorial contest and that his supporters stand to gain nothing by joining the government.
Mr Kenta also clarified that his decision to withdraw the petition) should not be misconstrued to mean that he had joined his opponents.
Mr Ntutu beat Mr Kenta 158,100 to 148,270 votes in the hotly contested duel that saw the latter move to court to challenge the results.
Mr Kenta last month bowed to a team led by Archbishop Sapit, who said the court contest between the two leaders was dividing the community.
The former legislator has said he will convene a large meeting before March next year to outline his next political direction.
