Ruto’s critic Buzeki officially joins UDA
By Faith Lagat, September 11, 2025Industrialist and politician Zedekiah Bundotich Kiprop, popularly known as Buzeki, has formally joined the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
He was welcomed during a public registration ceremony at the party’s headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday, September 11, 2025, where UDA Vice Chairperson Hassan Omar received a delegation from Uasin Gishu County led by the businessman.
Political shift
The move marks a major shift for Buzeki, who in past election cycles positioned himself as an independent candidate and a fierce critic of UDA. In 2017, he lost the Jubilee primaries before contesting independently, and in 2022, he ran again without a party ticket, often dismissing UDA’s manifesto and approach.
Speaking at the event, he described his decision as deliberate.
“I have officially registered today as a UDA member. I have joined in broad daylight because it is a firm decision I have taken after reflecting for long. We do not want to be fence-sitters; we want to be part of the development,” he said.
From critic to member
In recent months, Buzeki had been outspoken in his criticism of the government. On May 31, he complained about tax policies, arguing that delays in VAT refunds were hurting small and medium-sized enterprises. On June 11, he accused leaders of abandoning their campaign promises, and during protests later that month, he said Kenyans would not accept UDA’s continuation in 2027.
On July 8, he questioned the bottom-up economic model and criticised the ruling party’s alliance with ODM, while on August 22, he wrote that Parliament had become a “den of ignorance and arrogance”.
These remarks highlighted his position as one of the most vocal independent voices in the Rift Valley.
Also, Buzeki, on June 26, amid nationwide protests, declared, “Kenyans will not accept a continuation of UDA in 2027. The writing is on the wall. All that remains now is for them to loot as much as they can while they still can. It’s no longer governance; it’s a smash-and-grab exit strategy. The country will have to be rebuilt from scratch!”
However, Buzeki added that he had taken note of government reforms, saying he wanted to contribute to growth efforts from within the ruling party.