Crumbling: Leaders flee Ruto party as 2027 political storm gathers

Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe defected from UDA citing unfulfilled promises by the Ruto administration. [Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

The political class has embarked on a self-preservation journey to save themselves from the raging political waves that sweep away anyone who is not politically correct.

With only a year to the General Election, a day of reckoning for the political class has dawned as they now must make difficult results of a choice you tried to avoid.

The latest duo to face the truth are MPs Gabriel Kagombe (Gatundu South) and Muthoni Marubu Lamu Women Representative) who have come out to publicly declare that the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has outlived its usefulness for their bleak political future.

The two, who have been President William Ruto’s front soldiers and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s strongest critics have final come to terms that using the UDA as a political vehicle to defend their positions will be impossible.

While the two have been the Tutam (Two-term) Ruto’s re-election clarion, they have separately seen a road to Damascus, saying they will not continue being the sinking boat citing unfulfilled promises, political exclusion and frustrations with the party leadership.

Kagombe said he could no longer continue drumming up support for a government that had failed to deliver key development projects to his constituents.

He singled out the stalled Mau Mau roads, saying they had remained an eyesore for more than four years and that the poor state of roads had made it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets, hurting businesses and worsening the economic hardships facing households in the constituency.

He accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of prioritising development projects in other parts of the country while allegedly neglecting Gatundu South despite its support for the ruling coalition.

“While the government is keen on building stadiums, houses and tracking roads in other regions, it has given Gatundu South a blind eye,” he said.

He opposed the 0.8 per cent export levy and a proposed Sh3.85 per kilogram bulk tea auction levy, arguing that farmers were already struggling with rising production costs and declining bonus payments.

“Instead of cushioning farmers from exploitative taxation, the government is oppressing them.”

 Lamu Woman Representative Muthoni Marubu ditched UDA, accusing Lamu Governor  Issa Timamy of political sabotage and ethnic exclusion. [Courtesy]

On her part, Marubu announced her withdrawal from UDA in a strongly worded letter dated August 11, 2026, accusing Lamu Governor and UDA Deputy Party Leader Issa Timamy of political sabotage and ethnic exclusion.

Although she was elected as an Independent candidate, Marubu had crossed over to UDA and has been castigating Gachagua accusing him of beign a tribal bigot who had no interests of people at heart.

But in a twist of events, Marubu now accuses the Lamu governor of ethnic exclusion, citing concerns over public appointments, the replacement of the late Deputy Governor, and what she described as the deteriorating state of Mpeketoni Hospital.

She further referred to the 2014 Mpeketoni attacks, in which nearly 100 people, mainly members of the Kikuyu community, were killed, saying the events continued to raise questions about the community’s sense of belonging in Lamu.

Marubu said she was born and raised in Lamu and had buried her mother there, despite her ancestry tracing to Murang’a, while Timamy’s ancestry traces to Oman.

“Ancestry does not determine belonging. The Constitution does. Lamu belongs equally to all its people.”

Marubu said her political engagement with UDA had come to an end and that she, her team and political allies would no longer participate in party mobilization, grassroots elections or other UDA activities.

The two join the endless list of politicians who are shifting their political allegiances to save their dwindling political fortunes ahead of next year’s general election.

On Monday, Gachagua received 10 Kajiado MCAs and aspirants into his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP)   as he intensified his grassroots mobilisation drive ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The latest entrants include elected MCAs from UDA and ODM, as well as a ward representative aspirant, in a move that Gachagua said demonstrated growing support for the party in Kajiado County.

Gachagua announced the defections on Monday, saying the latest group had joined the DCP after consulting their supporters and receiving what he described as clear instructions from the ground.

“The journey to 100 per cent DCP in Kajiado is almost complete. I never asked the MCAs to listen to the ground; they are the ground themselves,” he said.

The latest entrants are Isaac Kiresian, Minority Leader of the Kajiado County Assembly and MCA for Magadi Ward; Joseph Torris of Ewuaso Oonkidongi Ward; Edward Lemomo of Kuku Ward; Caroline Ndeti, a nominated MCA representing Kaputei North Ward; Titus Matheka of Ongata Rongai Ward; John Maina Mutiga of Nkaimurunya Ward; Nais Naisiae Karia, a nominated MCA; Marush Kisemei of Oloosirkon Sholinko Ward; and Mbiriri Mwaura of Ngong Ward.

Peter Tirishe, a Mosiro Ward aspirant, also joined the party.

A day before, 11 MCAs from the Kirinyaga County Assembly ditched UDA for DCP.

DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua welcomes former nominated senator Millicent Omanga to the party on March 19, 2026. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Other political heavyweights who have joined his party include Governors Irungu Kangata (Muranga) Kiarie Badilisha (Nyandarua) while sources indicate that Kiambu governor Kimani Wamatangi has declared his interest to seek his re-election through the DCP ticket.

Former Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga also defected from UDA, East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and Nyeri politician Kanini Kega crossed over from Jubilee and former Othaya MP Gichuki Mugambi. Other leaders from Laikipia County include Charles Ndegwa, Virginiah Wahome, and Stephen Losiagol who defected from the Jubilee Party.

Kangata attributed DCP’s rise to Gachagua’s impeachment saying, ‘That impeachment (of Gachagua) was ill-advised, was unnecessary and is among the main reasons the government and UDA are in trouble in the Mt Kenya region. That is why some of us feel that aligning with him in 2027 would be defeatist,” he said.

Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) is also a beneficiary of political defections, after it welcomed Nyali MP Mohamed Ali from DCP lawyer Ndegwa Njiru who was associated with Martha Karua’s People’s Liberation Party (PLP) and Cabinet Minister Jamleck Irungu Kamau into its fold.

Kamau previously held rank in Jubilee Party where he served as the Director of Operations before shifting to Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP and eventually ending up at Wiper Party. He also previously served as a two-term Kigumo MP.

And as a testament to his political clout, Kalonzo appointed Kamau as the new party chairman. MP Ali was appointed as the Deputy Party Leader designate and while lawyer Ndegwa Njiru bagged the position of the party's first spokesperson.

In a statement, Kalonzo said the appointments were part of a mandate handed to him by delegates during the party's National Delegates Congress (NDC) to expand and renew the party's leadership ahead of the 2027 General Election.

"These are not appointments of convenience but of conviction. A coalition builder, a man of proven integrity, and a defender of the rule of law — each of them a perfect fit for a party whose only agenda is to Komboa Kenya," he said.

Kalonzo said the appointments were driven by principle rather than political convenience.

He also added that the changes were part of broader efforts to strengthen both the Wiper Patriotic Front and the wider opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections, saying consultations were ongoing to unite parties opposed to President William Ruto's administration under a single political front.

Former CS Aisha Jumwa quit the ruling UDA party in July 2026. [Nehemiah Okwembah, Standard]

Other political players such as Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome and former Gender CS Aisha Jumwa are also seeking new political direction.

CS Wahome who is allied to the UDA party, has declared her interest in the Murang’a gubernatorial race.

The former Kandara MP said the time was ripe for the county to have a woman in leadership, noting that the county has for years been dominated by male leaders.

“For the county to progress in development, it must be led by a woman,” said Wahome.

Former CS Aisha Jumwa quit the ruling UDA party last month and now has her eyes set on the Kilifi gubernatorial seat. She is yet to announce her political vehicle. The Linda Mwanachi brigade and Wiper parties are, however, actively wooing Jumwa to join their political formations.

Jumwa cited humiliation and frustration within the UDA ranks over her bid to run for the Kilifi gubernatorial seat as her reason to decamp.

Other notable figures who have ditched government positions to align themselves politically include Dr Thuo Mathenge who resigned as the chairperson of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation and joined DCP to pursue his interests for the Nyeri Gubernatorial seat and former Kirinyaga Women Representative Purity Ngirichi who was the chairperson of Kenya Seeds Company, who resigned to join DCP to vie for the Kirinyaga governorship.

However, as political alignments continue to take shape Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria threw a spanner in the works, claiming the government will facilitate coordinated defections of elected leaders from the UDA to DCP over 90 days, describing the shifting politicians as government-dispatched political agents or moles.

Reacting to Kagombe’s defection, Kuria claimed that the leaders, upon securing their re-election, would shift allegiance back to the government.

“Today, 12th August 2026 marks a new phase in the 2027 politics. For the next 90 days, the government will release elected leaders in the Mt Kenya region to ''defect'' to DCP. And they are not going there with empty pockets. With their handsome exit bonus, winning DCP nominations will not be a big deal. Winning the war is more important than winning the battle," he claimed.

Nyandarua Senator dismissed Kuria’s claims, saying he was nobody in Kenya’s politics and a leader who could not be taken seriously.

“Who is Moses Kuria? He is a loose cannon, and he has always been. He says many things that you cannot take seriously,’ he said

Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja, who is also Senate Deputy Majority Leader, has blamed the woes facing the ruling party, accusing a powerful clique around the President.

The Nakuru Senator warned that UDA was fast losing its popularity due to the arrogance and chest-thumping by the clique.

“It’s time that the President reconstituted his inner circle as the current ones are tarnishing his name and are responsible for the loss in Ol Kalou,” she said.

The senator claimed that many leaders are considering their support for UDA due to the arrogance of the powerful clique.

“UDA was the most popular party in the country but due to the mess caused by this small circle, many leaders don’t want to be associated with it as we head to the elections,” she said.

Some of the leaders were openly bragging about how much money they had to buy votes, while others decided to use uncouth words against other leaders,” she said.

At the same time, Karanja hit out at the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja over the rising goon culture in campaigns and political meetings.

She claimed that despite the goons being unmasked in Ol Kalou, the CS has failed to act, a move that was eroding investor confidence.

“The CS had promised to make sure these goons are arrested but he has failed to act and it's time he resigned if he can’t act,” she said.