Kisii Senator Chris Obure has said he will ditch ODM for Jubilee after consulting widely with the people.
Obure said his decision followed rallies in the county, at which members of the community said they want to be in government.
"The community has taken new direction politically," he said at Nyansira Secondary School in Nyaribari Chahche where Deputy President William Ruto held a funds drive on Friday.
"In 2007 we tried and failed. The same thing happened in 2013. I do not want it to happen again in 2017. That is why I am telling you we should support Jubilee."
Obure, who chairs Kisii unity talks, said the community decided to approach the August 8, 2017 general election as a united front.
"Let us have our votes in one basket; that is when we shall have bargaining power. We do not want to continue backing the opposition," he said.
Ruto, who was the chief guest, welcomed Obure noting they were together in ODM.
Jubilee is planning to wrest the Gusii vote from Cord in next year's elections.
In a bid to woo the community, Ruto has made at least 10 trips to Kisii and Nyamira to preside over functions, mostly funds drives, where he donates handsomely.
Deputy President William Ruto joins Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi , former CIC chairman Charles Nyachae and Kisii Senator Chris Obure in a dance during a rally in Nyaribari Chache, September 30, 2016. /REBECCA NDUKU/DPPS
More on this: Battle for the Kisii vote bloc
Also read: Battle for Gusii vote intensifies as Ruto tours Kisii, Nyamira counties
Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi is facing ODM disciplinary action for supporting Jubilee but said he said he had no regrets.
"I repeat it here; we area ready to support the Jubilee government," he said.
Maangi said the unity talks will be concluded on Sunday in Bobasi constituency
"A major rally will be held later when the Kisii community will decide its political destiny," added Maangi, a close ally of Ruto.
Charles Nyachae, former chairman of the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution, also reiterated Kisii's support for Jubilee Party.
"We will shake every part of Gusii during campaigns," he said.
Nyamira county assembly speaker Joash Nyamoko said: "We have made a conscious decision to support Jubilee and you will confirm it in 2017."
MPs Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache North), Zebedeo Opore (Bonchari), Joel Onyancha (Bomachoge Borabu) and Richard Tong'i (Nyaribari Chache) promised to rally the community behind President Uhuru Kenyatta.
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