Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata has announced he will not seek re-election on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, declaring the ruling party unpopular in the Mt Kenya region and signalling a growing political rift with President William Ruto.
The governor made the remarks shortly after appearing alongside the President at a public event in Murang’a, before later addressing the press in Nairobi where he openly criticised the party’s standing in the region.
Dr Kang’ata said he would chart a different political path ahead of the 2027 General Election, even as he maintained that his differences with the President were ideological rather than personal.
“I highlighted to the President matters I thought were going wrong. I was of the opinion that he was mismanaging Mt Kenya politics through intolerance and failure to prioritise manufacturing, education and health,” he said.
He attributed the rising support for opposition politics in Mt Kenya to what he termed government missteps.
“My only interest is to defend my seat in 2027,” he said.
Despite his announcement, the governor left the door open for possible future engagement with UDA. “Who knows? UDA may change in the more than a year left and address my concerns, which include investing more in political persuasion as opposed to coercion and violence. My differences with the president are ideological, not personal,” he said.
“I’ll announce my party of choice or even contest as an independent,” he added.
The move comes amid mounting pressure from regional leaders who have urged him to reconsider his political alignment. Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga had earlier warned: “It does not matter how transformative you are. If you find yourself on the wrong side of Mt Kenya voters’ political persuasions, you will be punished.”
Kikuyu Council of Elders chairman Wachira Kiago described the governor’s decision as significant, saying: “Mt Kenya seems to have slipped from President Ruto’s hands. The opposition mindset appears deep-rooted in the region and the kind of negative passions prevailing spell trouble for those who insist on remaining stubborn.”
The fallout has also drawn sharp reactions from within the ruling coalition, with National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah threatening to expose alleged impropriety involving the governor.
Dr Kang’ata, however, dismissed the threats, urging dialogue instead of public confrontation. “For Ichung’wah, who claims hypocrisy on my part, I will not get dragged into a public spat. He is my friend and can seek me for a conversation. Some of the issues he is alluding to are deep and can only be explained face-to-face,” he said.
The governor’s political trajectory has been marked by strategic shifts, having previously moved across different elective positions over the years. His latest decision mirrors his earlier stance in 2020 when, as senator, he warned that the Building Bridges Initiative lacked support in Mt Kenya.
His declaration now sets the stage for a potentially significant political realignment in the region ahead of the next general election.
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