More than 10 councillors from Bomet have ditched ODM for URP ahead of the signing of an alliance between Uhuru Kenyatta's TNA and Eldoret North MP William Ruto's URP. The civic leaders were allied to Home Affairs Assistant Minister Beatrice Kones

The councillors, among them three nominated ones, said they want to speak with one voice.

The councillors said they had not been coerced to jump ship.

"Our decisions are personal and was not influenced by anybody. The move is intended to foster unity in our county," they said in a statement.

ODM Bomet branch chairman Ronald Ngeny welcomed anybody who wanted to defect from ODM and dismissed claims the party was losing ground.

Mr Ngeny exuded confidence that ODM was still a force to reckon in the region saying it will give URP and other parties a run for their money during the next general election.

He said the party has attracted aspirants for all county positions and they would conduct the party nominations early next year to pick flag bearers.

"The party is still firm and allegation that Mrs Kones' departure dealt a blow to the party is mare propaganda by opponents in the region," he said.

The chairman said the move taken by the Bomet MP was a show of cowardice saying she had no reason to quit the party.

"How can you quit thinking you would not be meet with competition where you are going?" posed Mr Ngeny

He said the assistant minister relied on propaganda of political party euphoria saying her allegation that mounting pressure from her supporters forced her to ditch ODM was a flimsy excuse.

"Our party enjoy enormous support from her newly created Bomet East and am wondering which supporters she was talking about when she said that she was under pressure to join URP," He said.

Ngeny cautioned her to brace herself for a bruising battle during the next general election saying the party was positioning itself to take on her head-on in a bid to retain the Bomet east Parliamentary seat.

"I am confident ODM will retain the seat she has come next general election and this will not be a surprise, she should just watch the space," added the chairman.