The political temperature in Kiambu County is heating up as an intense rivalry unfolds between Governor Kimani Wamatangi and National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah.
This simmering and also blatant conflict is defining the current political atmosphere and shaping the dynamics of the 2027 gubernatorial race. Aspirants are lining up. Though neither side has publicly declared open war, the friction between these two powerhouses is already moulding the county’s political dynamics.
Governor Wamatangi, now in his first term, recently faced scrutiny following a high-profile raid on his home and ministers’ offices by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, which recovered Sh12 million in Kenyan shilling notes and $13,000 in cash.
Dismissing the raid as politically motivated, the governor claimed rivals seeking to derail his administration, saying he would not be intimidated, orchestrated it. “It is purely political intimidation,” he said outside EACC headquarters.
“Why else would over 50 officers raid my home and nearly 200 storm my ministers’ offices? It’s all about sabotaging a government that is delivering.”
In February this year, Senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa called on the EACC to investigate the county’s decision to revert from an automated to a manual payment system, alleging the move facilitated payments to ghost workers and led to the loss of Sh390 million.
Ichung’wah has accused Wamatangi’s administration of corruption and mismanagement. Sources close to the conflict tell the Star Ichung’wah has had a long-standing strained relationship with the governor.
Wamatangi had been accusing him of sabotage, largely due to his close ties with Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a and ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo.
Insiders also say Ichung’wah has been increasingly dissatisfied with the governor’s leadership style and his difficult engagement with other elected county leaders.
Speaking during a county development tour alongside President William Ruto last year, the Kikuyu lawmaker hinted that his differences with Governor Wamatangi were political.
Ichung’wah maintained Wamatangi should concentrate on serving the people of Kiambu instead of waging political battles through proxies.
He cautioned that if the governor persists in antagonising other leaders, they would have no choice but to rally behind an alternative candidate in 2027.
He further accused Wamatangi of sowing division in the county by deploying his allies to discredit and undermine elected leaders.
“Let it be clear, we have the power to elevate anyone to the position of governor in this county,” the Majority leader said.
Political analysts said this conflict has plunged the Kiambu Assembly into disarray and it is now polarised, with factions forming around the two leaders.
Assembly Majority leader Godfrey Waiyaki Mucheke remains one of Wamatangi’s staunchest allies. He said his recent arrest was part of the same larger political witch-hunt and warned that continued infighting would only stall development.
“Ichung’wah’s camp already has a 2027 gubernatorial candidate in mind and we know who they intend to support. They should stop the sabotage and allow the governor to focus on development,” Mucheke told the Star.
Githiga MCA Ruth Waithira said the same, praising Wamatangi’s track record and urging detractors to let him work.
“I have no interest in getting caught up in their political battles. In fact, it’s been quite a while since I last interacted with either of them. That said, I must acknowledge Governor Wamatangi has been working — there’s visible progress on the ground,” she said.
But pro-Ichung’wah MCAs paint a different picture, dismissing the governor’s development narrative as a smokescreen to deceive the electorate.
Kikuyu MCA Kamau James Boro said the conflict stems from a lack of development in the county and said Ichung’wah, as a leader from Kiambu, has a right to question the county’s development record.
He dismissed the “development narrative” from a group of MCAs as public relations theatrics orchestrated by the governor and his team.
“Wamatangi has clashed with nearly every major leader in Kiambu, not just Ichung’wah. The issues raised are legitimate concerns about stalled projects and questionable procurement processes,” Boro said.
He supported the EACC’s recent arrests, saying the Assembly has repeatedly raised questions about procurement processes without receiving satisfactory answers.
“If the EACC finds him guilty of the corruption allegations, we will have no option as county Assembly members but to issue a motion of impeachment against him,” Boro said.
Kiamwangi MCA Kungu Smart accused Wamatangi of dividing the assembly and failing to deliver on critical projects such as the upgrade of Ng’enda Health Centre, which had an approved budget of more than Sh55 million.
“The governor has promised the hospital’s launch ‘next week’ for nearly a year. It’s become a cycle of broken promises,” Kungu said.
He also cited the stalled Muchang’ara Bridge project, urging the EACC to investigate alleged misappropriation of funds. The frustrations over unfulfilled promises were passionately captured by Nyanduma MCA Beth Wanjiku who last month made an emotional appeal to Wamatangi to fix the deplorable roads in her ward.
Wanjiku recounted a distressing incident in which a hearse carrying a young man’s body could not reach the burial site due to impassable roads, forcing mourners to carry the coffin on foot.
“Governor, I’ve raised this issue with you countless times,” she said, her voice breaking. “During a recent burial, the hearse couldn’t reach the homestead. Young men had to carry the body because the road was completely inaccessible. I was ashamed and heartbroken.”
She further expressed frustration that local tea factories have had to rehabilitate some roads, a development she described as both humiliating and embarrassing.
Political analysts said the feud between Wamatangi and Ichung’wah risks polarising the electorate, particularly within the ruling UDA party’s stronghold in Kiambu, where both leaders were elected on the same ticket.
Political analyst Charles Mwangi, a lecturer at JKUAT, said if Wamatangi successfully frames the EACC investigations as politically motivated witch hunts, he may consolidate sympathy and strengthen his base.
He emphasised, however, the conflict is about more than personal rivalry, framing it as a contest for influence in Kiambu county ahead of the 2027 election.
“This alleged feud is indicative of the broader fragmentation within the UDA Party,” Mwangi said. “Wamatangi represents a localised governance agenda, while Ichung’wah is part of a national power structure keen to ensure party loyalty and discipline,” he said.
Ndumberi MCA David Chogi has said county leaders should work in harmony and wait for 2027 for politics. Chogi said political differences will greatly undermine development and thus leaders should be allowed to work for their people.
“Let’s leave 2027 to the people. For now, let’s focus on delivering,” he said.
