Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata has suggested that the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) may be inadvertently fuelling the rise of its competitors through its own strategic missteps ahead of future polls.

Responding to reports of mounting political pressure from both within the ruling party and from outside factions while speaking in an interview with a local station on May 7, 2026, Kang’ata noted that all parties have their rights to make their decisions, adding that they are seeking votes.

He said as a member of the ruling party, he is concerned about how the party will ensure it retains its support after winning the 2022 general elections.

“Other parties have the right to say whatever they want, and that is appropriate,” Kang’ata stated. “They are seeking votes. What matters to me is what UDA is doing to ensure it retains support,” he said.

UDA’s past actions

Kang’ata argued that for the past two years, specific government and party actions have provided the opposition with much-needed momentum.

He referred to a pattern where UDA’s electoral victories were quickly overshadowed by controversial events that damaged the party’s standing.

“What matters for me is what UDA is doing to ensure it retains support. I say so because I believe strongly that for the last one or two years, there have been actions that have been done by UDA, or rather the government, which have led to the strengthening of the opposition,” Kang’ata said.

According to Kang’ata, attacks on various opposition factions have consistently resulted in a rise in opposition popularity.

“In short, opposition has been given some momentum by the actions of government and the UDA party,” Kang’ata stated.

Kang’ata ditches UDA

This comes just days after Kang’ata announced that he will not seek re-election on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in the 2027 general election.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, May 3, 2026, Kang’ata said the decision followed internal efforts to resolve differences within the party, including a direct engagement with President William Ruto that failed to yield a consensus.

He revealed that he had held a candid one-on-one discussion with the Head of State to align on key issues, but acknowledged that they did not reach an agreement.

The governor maintained that his decision was guided by the will of the people, emphasising that leadership must reflect public sentiment.

“His Excellency the president has always told us that the people are supreme. Thank you for that statement, and therefore, my responsibility is to adhere to what the people have told me. In light of that, because I have tried my best to have these issues resolved internally, I have had a candid discussion with His Excellency the president one-on-one, where we shared these ideas, but we did not reach what we call ‘full convergence’,” he said.