Kieni MP Njoroge Wainaina has left the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and joined Ufanisi Kenya Party, adding to the political realignments taking place in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Wainaina, who was elected on a UDA ticket in 2022, announced his decision on Saturday during a meeting in his Kieni constituency in Nyeri County.
He said the move was driven by the need for the region to chart its own political path.
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“Because of the grace of God, and because we have severally been reminded that we went to a wedding with someone else’s vehicle, I have formed my 504. It will carry all the residents of Kieni. This is Ufanisi Kenya Party,” Wainaina said.
He added: “Kieni can also produce good things.”
The MP described himself as the second known party leader in Nyeri County after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who established the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
“I am the second known party leader in Nyeri County after Rigathi Gachagua,” he said.
Wainaina, however, said Ufanisi Kenya Party was not limited to Nyeri County and would welcome leaders and voters from across the country.
“It is not made for Nyeri only; it is a national party open for anyone to join,” he said.
His announcement comes amid shifting political alignments in Mt Kenya, where several elected leaders have questioned or moved away from their previous association with UDA.
Among the leaders cited in the changing political landscape is Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata, who has publicly distanced himself from UDA.
Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha has left UDA and joined Gachagua’s DCP, while Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has said he will contest the 2027 election on a political platform preferred by Kiambu residents.
Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja has also announced her departure from UDA and plans to contest the Nakuru gubernatorial race on a DCP ticket.
Other lawmakers have similarly announced changes in their political positions.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has said she is leaving UDA, while Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe has also left the ruling party, citing growing public hostility towards it in the region.
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has increasingly distanced himself from the immediate UDA framework and has been associated with alternative political platforms, including the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK).
The developments point to an evolving political landscape in Mt Kenya as leaders and parties position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Wainaina’s move introduces another political platform into the region’s contest over party identity, alliances and representation.
However, the full implications of the defections will depend on how the parties organise, the alliances they form and the choices voters make as the election approaches.
