Ichung’wah Vows Never to Join DCP as UDA Exodus Gathers Pace
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has delivered a blunt message to politicians leaving the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), insisting he will remain in the ruling party even if doing so costs him his parliamentary seat.
Ichung’wah made the declaration as political realignments gather pace ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election, with a growing number of politicians associated with the Kenya Kwanza administration shifting allegiance to the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Speaking during an interview with NTV on August 12, Ichung’wah dismissed the prospect of joining DCP and described the party as too small for him to consider abandoning UDA.
“I don’t know whether to say it in the vernacular. I can never, ever, over my dead body, join that small party. Even if that means me losing my parliamentary seat,” Ichung’wah said.
The Kikuyu MP said his political career had been guided by conviction rather than political convenience, arguing that he had remained loyal to the political formations he believed in despite changes in the political landscape.
Ichung’wah traced his political journey to 2013, when he joined The National Alliance (TNA) and supported the presidential ambitions of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto.
He subsequently remained aligned with Ruto during the rise of the Hustler Nation movement before becoming part of the broader Kenya Kwanza political coalition that propelled Ruto to the presidency in 2022.
His remarks come against the backdrop of growing political movement in the Mt Kenya region, traditionally a crucial voting bloc in Kenyan presidential elections.
Several prominent leaders who were previously associated with UDA have recently moved closer to DCP. Among them are Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha, who have formally left UDA for the Gachagua-led party.
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has also indicated that he may not seek another term on a UDA ticket, while Gatundu South MP Kagombe has similarly left the ruling party.
The movement has extended beyond governors and MPs, with several Members of County Assembly from Central Kenya and neighbouring counties also changing political allegiance.
Former Cabinet Secretary and presidential adviser Moses Kuria has previously suggested that more leaders could leave UDA in the months ahead, as political loyalties in Mt Kenya continue to shift ahead of the 2027 contest.
The growing defections have raised questions over whether the departures could weaken UDA’s political standing in a region that played a significant role in Ruto’s election victory.
Ichung’wah, however, sought to play down the significance of the defections, arguing that the Kenya Kwanza administration was relying on a broader political arrangement rather than UDA’s support in a single region.
He said the government remained confident that its broad-based coalition would provide sufficient political strength to secure victory in the next general election.
“We are not worried about those decamping from UDA to DCP. We have a very solid formation in the broad-based government and are very confident that we will win the 2027 General Election,” Ichung’wah said.
His remarks are likely to intensify the political debate over the future of Mt Kenya politics, particularly as rival formations attempt to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
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