Nairobi — Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has reaffirmed her innocence dismissing a new push to block her reelection bid over integrity as a witch-hunt by officials in the Office of the President.

Waiguru said were the said OP officials allowed to exercise their own discretion on prosecutions and determination of such cases, her fate would be a foregone conclusion.

"Were it not for constitutional safeguards that separate investigation, prosecution and adjudication, EACC on behalf of their Harambee House masters would have hanged some of us for moving to UDA," she said on Wednesday.

The first-term governor seeking to retain her seat of Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) was making reference to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) which published a list of 241 politicians it considers unfit to hold public.

Waiguru who had remained a loyal supporter of President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration in the second term amid an aggressive onslaught to purge Ruto's men switched allegiance to the country's sidelined second in command in October 2021.

She did so after months of leading campaigns for Raila Odinga, President Kenyatta's preferred successor in the August 9 State House race, who has had difficulties undoing Ruto's influence in the populous region.

Waiguru cited pressure from supporters and popularity of Bottom-Up Economic Model as factors that informed her decision.

"It is only a fool who can continue being in the same political path with the kind of pressure that I have been facing," she said while announcing her decision to join Ruto-led UDA.

"You cannot dictate to them. I have shifted to support the Bottom-Up Economic Development Model," she added.