The United Republican Party received a boost after an ODM official from central Kenya decamped to the party. Elizabeth Matere who vied on an ODM ticket in Thika Town constituency in 2013 joined URP which is opening several branches in Central province.
URP started recruiting members in Kiambu, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Nyandarua ahead of the 2017 elections.
Ms Matere, whose car was stoned by rowdy youths in Kiambu as she campaigned on the ODM ticket in the 2013 elections is said to have made the decision to join URP after ODM failed to do much to keep its pockets of supporters in central kenya remain with the party.
ODM however retains a sizeable chunk of support from the region perceived to be completely in TNA.
“There are a lot of ODM supporters in central province its just that they do not come out openly since the area is perceived to be a TNA zone,” said an ODM supporter who declined to be mentioned.
In the ongoing Okoa Kenya referendum, many supporters from Central Kenya came for the booklets to sign and surprisingly returned duly completed signature books, only citing that ODM still needs to keep the few supporters it still got rather than neglect them.