Keroche Breweries mogul Tabitha Karanja has explained why she joined Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) despite a longstanding friendship with ODM leader Raila Odinga.
When the businesswoman announced that she is entering politics, it was expected that she join the former premier's Azimio La Umoja movement.
Speaking to the Nation, Mrs Karanja explained that her decision to join UDA was a calculated political action supported by solid data.
She further clarified that her decision had in no way affected her relationship with Odinga.
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“I conducted a personal survey on the party of choice, especially in Nakuru and a whopping 82 per cent of the respondents wanted me to join UDA. I will listen to them,” she said.
The senatorial aspirant further revealed that her team conducted three surveys in Nakuru since November 2021 and all of them yielded similar results.
“By joining UDA, I was only answering their clarion call. They are the ones who will usher me into the coveted seat. They spoke and I listened,” she added.
On the decision to not join Azimio la Umoja, Mrs Karanja noted that politics is a different ball game from the corporate world. She added that her friendship with Odinga goes beyond politics.
“Mr Odinga is a political enigma and that is an undisputed fact. He means well for the country. We have a longstanding friendship and I wish him well in his endeavours,” she said.
“If you are a student of history, you will also see how many times Mr Odinga has changed political allegiances,” she pointed out.
Karanja explained that her decision to join UDA was also backed by DP Ruto’s economic agenda for the country.
“I was impressed by their economic policies. The bottom-up approach resonates with my ideologies of starting small and empowering the masses. I am a testimony myself that the model works,” she said.
The businesswoman will hold a series of meetings in Naivasha in a bid to forge a winning team.
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