Gideon Moi rattles UDA, forces ruling party to drawing board ahead of Baringo race
By Wycliffe Kipsang, October 7, 2025President William Ruto-led UDA has been forced to go back to the drawing board ahead of the Baringo County senatorial by-election after Kanu chairman Gideon Moi also expressed an interest in the seat, which was left vacant following the demise of William Cheptumo.
UDA, which clinched the majority of the elective seats in Baringo County in 2022, was almost sure of retaining the seat after concluding its primaries, but the entry of Moi seems to have ruffled political feathers in the ruling party, and it will be forced to go back to the political drawing board.
People Daily Digital established that Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has convened a meeting with all the MPs from the County for a meeting in his office, which is widely seen to be aimed at strategising on how to counteract Kanu’s influence in the region.
“The party leadership is concerned with the entry of Moi into the senatorial race, and it is calling on us to put in all our efforts to ensure the party retains the seat. The party is not leaving anything to chance,” a senior UDA legislator who preferred anonymity told People Daily Digital.
MPs who have been invited to attend the meeting include: Joseph Makilap (Baringo North), Reuben Kiborek (Mogotio), Charles Kamuren (Baringo South), Musa Sirma (Eldama-Ravine), William Kamket (Tiaty), Joshua Kandie of Baringo Central and Florence Jematiah (Woman Representative).
Growing divisions
The meeting comes amid growing divisions among some local MPs threatening to divide the party down the middle.
The division emanates from the fact that the MPs had supported different UDA aspirants in the run-up to the party primaries held last month.
During the primaries, Vincent Kiprono Chemitei, 31, emerged as the winner after garnering 48,791 votes, while Wycliff Kipsang Tobole and Daniel Kiptoo came second and third with 30,897 and 23,613 votes, respectively.
With campaigns officially underway, analysts warn that internal divisions in UDA could weaken the party’s cohesion in the run-up to the highly anticipated senatorial by-election.
This comes as the Junior Moi is scheduled to present and verify his application with the IEBC in Kabarnet on Thursday this week. The Baringo Senate by-election is widely seen as an ideal opportunity for President Ruto and his perennial political rival Moi to test their political might in the Rift Valley.
Moi’s announcement opens a bruising political battle between President Ruto and the KANU boss, who have been embroiled in a battle of supremacy for the control of the Rift Valley vote.
KANU confirmed last week that Moi will be in the race after extensive consultations, deliberations, and consensus within KANU and with the people of Baringo.
“The decision underscores the party’s unwavering commitment to offering experienced, visionary, and people-centred leadership at a critical juncture for Baringo County and the nation at large,” read the statement signed by Kanu’s Director of Communications, Manasse Nyainda.
Also in the Senatorial race are lawyer Benjamin Chebon and Daisy Jeptoo Kimosop, who ran as independent candidates.
Moi is no stranger to the Baringo Senatorial seat: He previously held it from 2013 to 2022. In the 2022 general elections, he was defeated by the late Cheptumo, who polled 141,777 votes to Moi’s 71,408.
Some sources suggest that Moi has been reluctant to re-enter the race, citing strained relations with the presidency and weighing the risk of another electoral setback.