National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has dismissed growing defections from the ruling United Democratic Alliance to Rigathi Gachagua’s Democratic for Citizens Party, saying the movement is a normal feature of Kenyan politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ichung’wah, the Kikuyu MP, said the Kenya Kwanza administration remained confident in its political position despite a series of departures, particularly among leaders from the Mt Kenya region.
“There is no reason for anybody to get worried. It is that transfer season, just like in football, when it comes to politics,” he said in an interview with NTV on Wednesday.
His comments came as several politicians linked to UDA have moved towards DCP, which is being positioned by former Deputy President Gachagua as a political home for the Mt Kenya region.
Among those who have moved into the DCP camp are Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and Nyandarua Governor Moses Kiarie Badilisha. Other elected leaders and grassroots politicians have also been joining the party in recent weeks.
The departures have added to the political manoeuvring expected to intensify as parties prepare for the 2027 General Election.
Ichung’wah, however, said the government was focused on its record and on the broad-based arrangement between Kenya Kwanza and the Orange Democratic Movement.
We are not worried,” he said. “We have a very solid formation in the broad-based government together with our partners in ODM.”
He added that the administration was confident it would win the next election.
The Majority Leader also drew a clear line between his own political choices and the recent defections.
For me as Kimani Ichung’wah, you can look at my public record over the last close to 15 years that I have been in public office. I have never done anything out of convenience. I take decisions based on conviction,” he said.
Ichung’wah said he believed the broad-based government offered the best path for the country and firmly ruled out joining DCP.
I can never, ever, over my dead body join DCP,” he said.
Gachagua has meanwhile stepped up efforts to build DCP’s support base ahead of 2027. The former deputy president has been receiving governors, MPs, MCAs and grassroots leaders who have broken ranks with rival parties.
The movement has been particularly visible in Mt Kenya, where political loyalties are being reshaped well ahead of the election.
For now, Ichung’wah’s message is that the defections should not be mistaken for a crisis within the government.
Instead, he sees them as part of the political “transfer season” that is already under way with both sides seeking to strengthen their positions before Kenyans return to the ballot in 2027.
About the Author
