By Anderson Ojwang
A slow Sunday. A family fun day indeed, and then out of the blue, breaking news. Not very good news for the family of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Shockingly and heartbreakingly, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kangata invited the media to publicly announce that he will not defend his gubernatorial seat on the UDA party ticket in 2027.
Murang’a, the economic heart of Mt Kenya, has not only sent a warning signal to UDA but also to President William Ruto that all is not well in the mountain, and it is only a matter of time before the exodus.
Kangata, one of the top performers, has set the precedent after he made the move. In the last general election, he garnered 256,561 votes, followed by Jamleck Kamau of Jubilee Party with 91,154 votes, out of a total registered voters of 620,929. The voter turnout was 68 percent, with President Ruto securing 343,421 votes against Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate, the late Raila Amolo Odinga’s 73,519 votes.
Exit UDA for a new political vehicle
Kangata, quoting President Ruto that the people are supreme, said it was incumbent upon him to adhere to what the people have told him.
“President Ruto has always told us that the people are supreme, and thank you for that statement. Therefore, my responsibility is to adhere to what the people have told me. And in light of that, and because I have tried my best to have these issues resolved internally, I have had a candid discussion with the President one on one, where we shared these ideas, but we did not reach what we call full convergence,” he said.
Kangata said he had conclusively decided to defend his seat on a different platform and not UDA.
“I have no doubt to say that after careful reflection, I wish to state that come 2027, I will not defend my seat on the current party ticket. I will later, at a certain stage, communicate the platform on which I will present myself to the electorates,” he said.
The Governor said for the moment he will cooperate with the national government and the UDA party to deliver services to his people.
“However, until then, I will remain a disciplined and committed member of the UDA party. I will continue to serve diligently in my capacity and cooperate with the national government in delivering services to our people,” he said.
Kangata said he will remain loyal to the President until the end of the term and that there was no conflict between his political ambition and that of Ruto.
“I will remain loyal to the President and to the party through the remainder of this term. I do not intend to vie to become the President of Kenya, neither do I want to become the Deputy President of this country. Therefore, my interest and his interest do not conflict, strictly speaking,” he said.
The Governor said for some time he has been put under a lot of pressure to endorse the President and his programmes and found it right to state his political stand.
“My aim is only to defend the Murang’a seat, but I felt this was important for me to say because I have seen for the last few days the President has been in Murang’a, and every time I go there, I am being pressurized to endorse the programmes and to endorse him,” he said.
He took issue with some of the leaders from the region for doubting his health status and felt offended by their views.
“Even the pressure has come publicly, even from my friend Kimani Ichung’wah, the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly. They have even suggested that I am not sick, which I felt was not fair because truly, it is true I have a problem. I felt that is too much,” he said.
The Governor said it was important to set the record clear ahead of 2027 to avoid being negatively tagged.
“They have even reached a certain stage that I thought, if I don’t do this, people will start saying I am a cunning politician. So I said let me talk the truth, my view on the party and on 2027. Today, I have decided to set the record straight and to express myself that I have done my best. I have given my ideas which the party thought otherwise. I have to say the truth,” he said.
Ichung’wah hits back at Kangata, calls him a hypocrite
But Ichung’wah denied the allegations, saying he only called out hypocrisy in the Governor.
“My friend Kang’ata, Governor Murang’a. What is it I am hearing that you claim I have been pressuring you? I said what I said to you at Kenneth Matiba Hospital in public. Not to exert pressure, but to call out the hypocrisy I saw in your engagements. We know each other well,” he wrote on his social media platforms.
He said Kangata placed pressure on him during the impeachment of Gachagua so that he could be named Deputy President.
“Remember our Lavington meeting at the time of impeachment? That is what would constitute exerting pressure. The kind of pressure you were exerting to be named Deputy President. I gave you my piece of mind on your candidature and the politics of hypocrisy that I read in your quest. I am still of the same view today as I shared with you. Desist from name-dropping my name to please Gachagua and drop your competitors. Pay the ransoms he demands if you desire to be his candidate. My brother, do you really want me to disclose to the people of Murang’a full details of our Lavington meeting? Including what you did with Murang’a resources? It is NOT in your interest. Fight your battles and keep off name-dropping to advance your hypocritical politics of deceit. I have chosen this public response since you chose to use that same route. Let me know if you desire a full disclosure of what I know and you know I know,” he wrote.
Mt Kenya exodus
The recent political handshake between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua seems to have changed the political terrain in Mt Kenya for President Ruto and his UDA.
The region is opening up to Uhuru’s Jubilee and Gachagua’s DCP, while UDA is being relegated to the periphery.
In the 2022 general elections, UDA lawmakers from Mt Kenya and its diaspora included: Kiambu County’s Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Githua Wamacukuru (Kabete), Njuguna Wanjiku (Kiambaa), George Koimburi (Juja), James Gakuya (Embakasi North – diaspora); Murang’a County’s Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Edward Muriu (Gatanga), Mary Wamaua (Maragua), Betty Maina (Murang’a CWR); Nyeri County’s Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira – later Deputy President), Michael Muchira (Tetu), Njoroge Wainaina (Kieni); Kirinyaga County’s George Kariuki (Ndia), Mary Maingi (Mwea); and others including John Kaguchia (Mukurweini), Patrick Munene (Chuka/Igambang’ombe), and Rahab Mukami (Nyeri CWR).
Most of these legislators have moved to DCP, while others could be seeking new vehicles from which to defend their seats.
The announcement by Kangata may open the floodgates for an exodus from UDA to other political platforms in Mt Kenya and could be a pointer that the region’s political allegiance has shifted elsewhere.
