Politicians from the Mt Kenya region who have defected from President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) face an uphill battle to regain political acceptance in a region that has increasingly turned against the ruling party.
The latest to quit UDA is Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja, who has announced her intention to contest the 2027 gubernatorial election on a Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) ticket.
Others who have announced their departure from the ruling party include MPs Gathoni Wamuchomba (Githunguri), Gabriel Kagombe (Gatundu South) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), as well as governors Kiarie Badilisha (Nyandarua) and Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a).
While their moves have been interpreted as attempts to reconnect with political bases that have shifted away from UDA, the defectors have not received a uniformly warm welcome.
Some have faced hostile receptions, accusations of being State “moles” and criticism from sections of the community who view their political shifts as acts of betrayal.
After announcing her departure from UDA last Friday, Karanja received an enthusiastic response from members of the public she was addressing.
She said she had made the decision after listening to the electorate, which she claimed had become disillusioned with the government.
“I am fighting for the seat with DCP. And I want to tell my party leader that I have listened to the ground, and the people have told me: We had a lot of expectations for this government. We woke up very early to vote for this government. But the expectations you had — have you received them?” she asked the crowd of excited supporters.
Days later, Karanja organised a meeting for DCP aspirants seeking various elective positions in Nakuru County.
However, the party disowned the meeting and directed its aspirants not to attend, exposing early tensions between the senator and the party leadership.
“The Party hereby informs all DCP aspirants in Nakuru County that the meeting convened by gubernatorial aspirant Hon. Tabitha Karanja is unauthorised, contrary to established party procedures, and will not take place. All aspirants and party officials are directed not to attend, facilitate, or participate in the said meeting,” said the party’s Executive Director, Hezron Obaga, in a notice.
Kagombe has also faced challenges since announcing his departure from UDA on August 11 and his move to DCP.
Political insiders say the party has formed a committee to vet politicians joining it from the government side.
During a church service in his constituency days later, Kagombe appealed to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to accept him back into his political camp, likening himself to the biblical prodigal son.
“I was Saul, but now I have seen the light in Damascus; I reformed and became Paul,” Kagombe said.
He cited Luke 15, which recounts the story of the prodigal son returning to his father after squandering his inheritance, to explain his political shift.
“If you read the book of Luke 15:11 and the entire chapter, there is the story of the prodigal son. When he suffered, he returned to his father and confessed. I have experienced all the challenges on the other faction [UDA]. I have come to ask for your forgiveness,” he said.
His troubles continued during a campaign tour in Thika Town, Kiambu County, where he was heckled in Gachagua’s presence.
The incident occurred as Kagombe addressed a crowd that began chanting “one term” slogans. In an apparent attempt to ease tensions, the MP removed his cap and put on one bearing DCP branding.
Nyoro, who announced his move to the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK) on August 17, has also faced allegations of being a State “mole”. The accusations prompted People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua to come to his defence.
Wamuchomba, meanwhile, continues to face questions about her political loyalty after shifting between political camps since 2022.
Her political engagements have included President Ruto, Gachagua, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Jubilee Party presidential candidate Fred Matiang’i.
Several opposition politicians have openly questioned her political credibility, arguing that her shifting alliances raise doubts about where her loyalties lie.
Political observers in the region say the defectors must do more than announce their departures from UDA to win over voters.
They will have to convince an increasingly sceptical electorate that their decisions are driven by political conviction and the interests of their constituents rather than calculations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
