Githunguri Member of Parliament (MP) Gathoni Wamuchomba has threatened to cut ties with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), accusing President William Ruto’s allies of perpetuating hate speech without facing consequences.
Speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Monday, August 31, Wamuchomba criticised what she described as selective accountability within the ruling party, arguing that leaders close to the President appear to escape punishment for remarks that would attract consequences if made by ordinary citizens.
“We cannot have a selective party leadership, where those close to the President cannot face consequences of their own actions as opposed to those who are not,” Wamuchomba said.
The legislator warned that allowing inflammatory ethnic rhetoric to go unchecked could worsen tensions within the country, particularly if political leaders continue using language that targets specific communities.
Wamuchomba said her frustration had intensified after what she described as repeated provocations against the Kikuyu community, which she believes have failed to attract adequate action from the government and UDA leadership.
"I have been supporting him, believing that he can improve. I felt I had the responsibility to support him, pray for him, and advise him. But the more we support him, the more he is messing; the more his people are messing up," she added.
Her latest criticism follows two incidents involving senior figures associated with the Ruto administration. The first involves nominated MP Joseph Wainaina, who has been accused of remarks allegedly suggesting that Kikuyus opposed to Ruto’s re-election should leave Uasin Gishu County.
Wainaina has rejected the allegations, maintaining that his remarks were taken out of context and that he has never advocated for ethnic hostility.
The second concerns Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who faced criticism in July over remarks interpreted by some as derogatory towards the Kikuyu community, with the CS referring to them as ‘hyenas’.
Duale was subsequently summoned by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC). He defended the remarks, explaining that they were based on a Somali proverb referring to entrenched habits and were not directed at any particular community.
Wamuchomba has now issued President Ruto with a three-day ultimatum to have both Wainaina and Duale arrested, warning that failure to act could trigger protests and defections by politicians in the Mt Kenya region.
"We are going to speak, and we are going to demand the arrest of the culprits. If the arrest of Joseph Wainaina and CS Duale is not going to happen in the next three days, I am going to lead a massive protest of the party within Mt Kenya, and some of us who have been supporting William Ruto will walk away when he really needs us," Wamuchomba stated.
The threat comes amid heightened political activity in Mt Kenya, where UDA leaders have increasingly been engaging with the Democracy for Citizens’ Party (DCP) associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Wamuchomba rejoined UDA in January after leaving the party during the Gen Z-led protests. Since then, she has maintained that she remains supportive of Ruto and the ruling party for the remainder of the current term, despite increasingly distancing herself from UDA’s political operations.
Her latest remarks could therefore mark a significant escalation in her criticism of the ruling party, particularly as political alignments in Mt Kenya continue to shift ahead of the 2027 General Election.
