Keroche CEO Tabitha Karanja has revealed that she spoke to ODM leader Raila Odinga before joining UDA, a party heavily associated with Deputy President William Ruto.
The Keroche breweries founder said after holding talks with the former prime minister, he advised her to wait until February 2022 before deciding which political camp she would use in seeking the Nakuru senatorial seat.
“I met Raila Odinga and he advised me to wait until February before I made any decision on which party to vie on as a Senatorial Candidate for Nakuru County,” she said in a long Facebook post on Thursday, March 10.
She further said that she consulted Siaya senator James Orengo who also advised her to monitor the numbers in the region before deciding which political camp to join.
“I also spoke to my best friend, my Lawyer, senator James Orengo and I told him about the numbers in Nakuru and he told me I keep on consulting him as we wait,” Karanja added.
Despite Raila being the one who laid the foundation stone for her Naivasha-based brewery due to their friendship, the Keroche boss said she never went back to him after February 2022, instead opted to join William Ruto’s camp.
She said she joined UDA since the numbers in Nakuru county were not changing and that she could easily lose the seat if she joined his long-term friend.
“I never went back to him (Raila) because I realized that the numbers in Rift Valley were not changing,” she said.
The celebrated businesswoman said that despite joining Raila’s formidable competitor in the August 9, General Election, she still considers the opposition chief a great politician who means well for the country.
“We should value people’s relationships that they have built over two decades,” she said.
