Moses Kuria concedes defeat in Kiambu gubernatorial race

Moses Kuria, the Chama Cha Kazi candidate in the Kiambu gubernatorial race has conceded defeat.

In a cryptic statement on his Facebook page, Kuria - who is the outgoing Gatundu South MP - said that he had enjoyed his time in elective politics.

"I enjoyed every minute of my 8 years in elective politics. Back to private sector. Happily," Kuria, a second-term MP, posted.

His statement comes at a time when the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has not completed counting the gubernatorial votes.

Kuria was vying for the seat with Tujibebe Wakenya's William Kabogo, independent candidate Patrick Wainaina Jungle, UDA's Paul Kimani Wamatangi, Safina Party's Mwende Gatabaki and the incumbent, Jubilee Party's James Nyoro. 

Kuria elected un-opposed

Kuria was first elected unopposed as Gatundu South MP in a 2014 by-election on a The National Alliance (TNA) Party ticket, after Kiarie Kamere of the New Democrats Party pulled out of the race.

The by-election was occasioned by the death of former MP Joseph Ngugi Nyumu.

While quitting the race, Kamere said he did not want to destabilise President Uhuru Kenyatta's TNA in his backyard.

“Gatundu South Constituency is the home of our beloved President Uhuru Kenyatta. I don’t wish to be the cause, or be associated with political divisions and unnecessary tensions in the President’s backyard,” he said.

Kuria was re-elected in the 2017 General Election on a newly-formed Jubilee Party.

The ruling party was however disintegrated into two groups after the March 2018 Handshake between President Uhuru and his then political namesis Raila Odinga.

After the fallout, Kuria formed his own party, and opted to vie for the county's top seat.