BLOW TO KENYA KWANZA AFTER EXIT OF ANOTHER MT.KENYA PARTY

The political rift between President William Ruto and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has resulted to a wounded Kenya Kwanza , following the exit of the Farmers Party from the coalition.

This party, a vital tool in Ruto gaining Mt. Kenya ahead of the 2027 elections, declared its withdrawal on Tuesday evening, citing dishonesty and unfulfilled promises as the root cause for exiting the coalition.

The Farmers Party, which was allegedly one of the initial founding parties of Kenya Kwanza, claimed that, President Ruto is sidelining Mt Kenya ,failing to deliver as promised and marginalising its leaders in key decision - making processes;

“We joined Kenya Kwanza in good faith, but the President has betrayed our trust. Mt Kenya deserves better,” said the spokesperson.

The party, led by former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera, wrote a formal letter to both the chair of the Kenya Kwanza Coalition and the Registrar of Political Parties, dated April 8, 2025 , addressing their desire to ditch Kenya Kwanza.

In the letter, the Farmers Party provided a 30-day notice of departure, according to Clause 8 of the coalition agreement that outlines termination processes.

“Therefore, Farmers Party hereby issues a thirty (30) day notice of intention to exit the Kenya Kwanza coalition, pursuant to Clause 8 (Termination) of the Coalition Agreement,” the letter highlighted.

The Farmers Party expressed their frustration with the recent affiliation with the ODM party, a situation which left them in the cold.

“This move not only violates the trust upon which our coalition was founded but also undermines the principles of inclusivity, transparency, and mutual respect,” the party added.

This decision comes days after after President William Ruto dismissed Nyakera from being chairperson of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and replaced him with Samuel Waweru, a move that signified a political gesture, since Nyakera had been in the government but was vocal in criticizing it's actions.

The Farmers Party’s exit is a significant blow to the Kenya Kwanza coalition, which has for long relied on the support of Mt Kenya’s support for its political relevance. According to speculations, this move could potentially weaken the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.

This fallout reveals a massive dissatisfaction of Mt. Kenya leaders with the current government. There are possible chances of these Mt. Kenya fallout parties rallying behind former DP, Rigathi Gachagua.

Gachagua has been so vocal in defending the interest of the Mt.Kenya region and also harshly blasting President Ruto for failed delivery.