Kitutu Chache South Member of Parliament (MP) Anthony Kibagendi has opened up about one of the most disappointing moments of his political journey, being denied the ODM ticket in 2017 despite winning the party primaries.

Speaking to Oga Obinna TV Extra on Monday, November 17, 2025, Kibagendi stated that the party leadership felt he was “too young” and needed more grounding, a decision he says caught him off guard.

“Of course, they disappointed me once in 2017. I won the elections, but the party thought it was not prudent for me to get the nomination. They gave the ticket to someone else. I  think they felt I was still young. Sikuwa na kakitu, and I didn’t know how people were ‘toboka-ing’. Even in 2022, sikutoboka,” he said.

Kibagendi revealed that at the time, he was already serving as an advisor to then Deputy President William Ruto, long before the UDA wave took shape.

“Baba alinipigia while I was an advisor to William Ruto. Me ndiye nilianzisha UDA. Sisi ndio tuliweka William Ruto kwa hii kiti. I was in charge of all the by-elections when I was in Ruto’s team,” Kibagendi added.

He further said that many young aspirants aligned with ODM were locked out of nominations in 2017.

“During nominations, sisi vijana wote tulikuwa team ya Baba tulinyimwa ticket. The only young people who got tickets were Sylvanus Osoro, Sifuna, Babu Owino, and Caleb Amisi,” he added.

Feeling shortchanged, Kibagendi says Ruto reached out to him and asked him to help strengthen Jubilee in the Gusiiland region.

“William Ruto akanitafuta akaniambia, ‘Hawa watu wamekupiga nje, kuja utusaidie hapa Jubilee, ukuwe reelected alafu 2022.’ Nilikuwa nimeshika nare, so I wanted to show ODM what they had lost,” he said.

He says Ruto tasked him with leading political operations in Kisii, Nyamira, and Kuria, an assignment he believes he executed successfully.

“Tukapunguza ODM, hakuna MP walipata. MCAs tukapunguza from 33 to 11. Kuria tukapunguza from 75% to 50-50. That’s when he saw I was serious and made me an advisor in his office,” he recounted.

However, as the 2022 General Election approached, Kibagendi says he listened to the ground and made the decision to return to ODM.

“As we drew closer to the elections, I listened to the ground and switched to ODM. Baba welcomed me very well. I truly appreciate it, and he even gave me resources to inject into my campaigns,” he said.