Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has defended her political manoeuvres following her defection from President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), describing politics as a game in which leaders pursue interests to protect their constituents.
Wamuchomba, who announced her departure from UDA on Thursday, October 8, said politicians sometimes have to make bold declarations to safeguard development allocations for their constituencies.
Speaking during an interview with Radio Africa’s Gukena FM over the weekend, the legislator urged Kenyans to understand that political decisions are often driven by interests that may not be immediately apparent to the public.
“I usually tell wananchi to let politicians play their game of politics. For me, politics is a game. Wananchi usually don’t understand the games we play,” she said.
Wamuchomba suggested that political positioning could influence whether constituencies receive government resources, arguing that leaders must sometimes publicly declare their political stand to protect the interests of the people they represent.
“If, as a politician, you sense that your people will be denied a budgetary allocation, and the allocation will be based on you having a certain political stand, you make the declaration loudly so that the allocation can be made,” she said.
Her remarks came days after she announced her exit from UDA, accusing the Kenya Kwanza administration of failing to honour its promises on reforms in the coffee and tea sectors.
The two industries are economically significant in the Mt Kenya region, where farmers have repeatedly demanded better prices, improved payment systems and reforms to address longstanding challenges in the value chains.
Her departure adds to political realignments in the region as leaders begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Wamuchomba has yet to disclose the party ticket on which she intends to defend her Githunguri parliamentary seat.
Her next political move is likely to attract attention as rival parties seek to consolidate support in the Mt Kenya region.
Her exit also follows the defection of Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja, who announced on Friday, October 9, that she would contest the Nakuru gubernatorial seat in 2027 on a Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) ticket.
The departures point to shifting political affiliations as leaders reassess their alliances and weigh their electoral interests ahead of the next General Election.
