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Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata has declared he will not defend his seat on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in 2027, warning that the party is repeating the persecution tactics that once swept it to power.
Kangáta, who won the Murang’a governorship on a UDA ticket in 2022, announced the decision in a statement on Saturday, saying he would later disclose the political platform under which he would seek re-election.
“I wish to state that when the appropriate time comes, I will not seek to defend my seat on the party’s ticket. I will, at a later stage, communicate the platform through which I will present myself to the electorate,” said Kangáta.
In a separate televised interview, Kangáta delivered a blunter warning, drawing a direct line between UDA’s 2022 victory and the persecution the party endured under the Jubilee government.
“UDA won in 2022 because of how it was persecuted by the Jubilee government. I am surprised when I see UDA repeating the same mistake of prosecuting people who are then garnering major political sympathy, becoming more popular and more popular,” noted the governor.
He observed that the pattern showed the party had drawn no lessons from its own history.
“It is as if we did not learn anything in 2022 that we should not coerce people,” he added.
The governor cited specific incidents as evidence of the trend, pointing to attacks on churches in Odaya and Nairobi, and the manner in which Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna was pushed out of his party.
“Immediately that happens, they become major political players. So it appears we did not learn anything in 2022,” said Kangáta.
In his statement, Kangáta framed the split as a matter of principle rather than personal grievance, citing what he described as a drift toward intolerance in the country’s political environment.
“Instances of confrontation and tension, whether involving leaders, places of worship, or those in opposition, create a perception that politics is drifting toward intolerance. This does not strengthen our democracy,” he observed.
He noted his differences with the party were rooted in political strategy and policy priorities, not personal animosity toward President William Ruto, with whom he said he had worked closely since 2013, when he first served as Member of Parliament for Kiharu.
Despite the announcement, Kangáta pledged to remain a UDA member and to continue cooperating with the national government on development until the 2027 polls.
“I remain a disciplined and committed member of the party. I will continue to serve diligently in my current capacity and to cooperate with the national government in delivering development to our people,” he explained.
He also used the statement to lay out a policy platform built around manufacturing, education and health, calling on the government to fully fund free day secondary schooling at an estimated cost of Sh40 billion annually and to lower the cost of power to spur industrial growth.
Kangáta’s declaration places him among a growing number of UDA-affiliated Mt Kenya leaders distancing themselves from Ruto’s re-election campaign.
The governor had previously been identified as among ruling party figures who have become critics of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has in recent months applied pressure on Kangáta to publicly align with his camp, threatening to field a rival candidate against him in Murang’a under the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) if he declined.
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Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata has declared he will not defend his seat on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in 2027, warning that the party is repeating the persecution tactics that once swept it to power.
Kangáta, who won the Murang’a governorship on a UDA ticket in 2022, announced the decision in a statement on Saturday, saying he would later disclose the political platform under which he would seek re-election.
“I wish to state that when the appropriate time comes, I will not seek to defend my seat on the party’s ticket. I will, at a later stage, communicate the platform through which I will present myself to the electorate,” said Kangáta.
In a separate televised interview, Kangáta delivered a blunter warning,
drawing a direct line between UDA’s 2022 victory
and the persecution the party endured under the Jubilee government.
“UDA won in 2022 because of how it was persecuted by the Jubilee government. I am surprised when I see UDA repeating the same mistake of prosecuting people who are then garnering major political sympathy, becoming more popular and more popular,” noted the governor.
He observed that the pattern showed the party had drawn no lessons from its own history.
“It is as if we did not learn anything in 2022 that we should not coerce people,” he added.
The governor cited specific incidents as evidence of the trend, pointing to attacks on churches in Odaya and Nairobi, and the manner in which Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna was pushed out of his party.
“Immediately that happens, they become major political players. So it appears we did not learn anything in 2022,” said Kangáta.
In his statement, Kangáta framed the split as a matter of principle rather than personal grievance, citing what he described as a drift toward intolerance in the country’s political environment.
“Instances of confrontation and tension, whether involving leaders, places of worship, or those in opposition, create a perception that politics is drifting toward intolerance. This does not strengthen our democracy,” he observed.
He noted his differences with the party were rooted in political strategy and policy priorities, not personal animosity toward President William Ruto, with whom he said he had worked closely since 2013, when he first served as Member of Parliament for Kiharu.
Despite the announcement, Kangáta pledged to remain a UDA member and to continue cooperating with the national government on development until the 2027 polls.
“I remain a disciplined and committed member of the party. I will continue to serve diligently in my current capacity and to cooperate with the national government in delivering development to our people,” he explained.
He also used the statement to lay out a policy platform built around manufacturing, education and health, calling on the government to fully fund free day secondary schooling at an estimated cost of Sh40 billion annually and to lower the cost of power to spur industrial growth.
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Kangáta’s declaration places him among a growing number of UDA-affiliated Mt Kenya leaders distancing themselves from Ruto’s re-election campaign.
The governor had previously been identified as among ruling party figures who have become critics of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has in recent months applied pressure on Kangáta to publicly align with his camp, threatening to field a rival candidate against him in Murang’a under the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) if he declined.
By David Njaaga