Githunguri Constituency Member of Parliament, Peninah Gathoni Wamuchomba, has come out boldly to call out Kenyan political parties, dismissing them as mere con games that deceive voters with grand promises only to renege on them after securing power.

Speaking via a live video from Boston on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, during an interview with a local TV station, Gathoni expressed deep disappointment over what she termed as the deceitful nature of political outfits in Kenya, particularly the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party under which she vied and won her parliamentary seat in the 2022 elections.

She accused UDA of betraying not only her but also the millions of Kenyans who had placed their faith in the party’s promises of economic revival and prosperity.

According to her, the glaring inconsistencies between UDA’s pre-election pledges and its governance track record had left her furious and politically disillusioned.

“I was elected under the UDA party. The party that sponsored me in the National Assembly is UDA, so technically, I am still in UDA. But I did not ask President Ruto to go and merge with ANC. And therefore, because there is a merger, we are going to wait and see whether President Ruto is going to gazette it so that we can also declare our positions because we did not give him the mandate to do so,” she stated.

Gathoni minced no words in declaring that she had no intention of seeking re-election under the UDA banner, citing a profound sense of betrayal by the party. She accused President William Ruto of enacting policies that had plunged Kenyans into economic distress, disregarding the voices of those who campaigned tirelessly to see him ascend to power.

Her disenchantment, she emphasized, stemmed from what she described as the administration’s heavy-handed approach to governance, including abductions, killings, and financially crippling policies that had further burdened struggling citizens.

“I am not going to vie again under UDA, that I must declare. If I ever vie for whatever position I am going to vie for, God willing, I am not going to use UDA because UDA has betrayed me. I did not campaign for President Ruto as my president to abduct and kill my sons and daughters. I did not campaign and endorse my president to invade people’s payslips and force them into serious mandatory deductions. And that is why you see me opposing him in Parliament, because I believe whatever he is doing, he is doing it on his own. He has not consulted me as one of those who were his chief supporters and campaigners,” she asserted.

The lawmaker lamented that UDA had fed Kenyans with a false narrative of economic empowerment, promising financial relief and fair returns for farmers, yet had delivered the exact opposite.

She accused the party of turning against the very people who propelled it to power, betraying their trust by implementing policies that only deepened economic hardship.

Farmers, she argued, were particularly feeling the sting of UDA’s broken promises, with key policies such as the Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR) disappearing into oblivion, leaving hardworking Kenyans struggling to make ends meet.

“UDA came in and told us that we are going to have ‘pesa mfukoni’ (money in our pockets). It told us that we would have guaranteed minimum returns. Where did GMR go? Where is it for my coffee and avocado farmers? Therefore, I am declaring that I am done with UDA as long as its matters come with the next election. I am in UDA right now because I am sponsored by the party in the National Assembly, but I am not in agreement with the many policies they have brought forth to suppress the economy and the livelihood of the Kenyan people,” she decried.

Joining Rigathi Gachagua’s party

As speculation mounts regarding her next political move, Gathoni was asked whether she would consider joining a political party expected to be formed by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, popularly known as Wamunyoro.

In response, she refrained from making a definitive commitment but signaled a willingness to align with any political outfit that champions the interests she holds dear.

She emphasized that her priority was to support a platform that truly served the people rather than one that simply sought power for personal gain.

“I have a different opinion when it comes to Wamunyoro. I will join whoever will come in and encompass my principles and my expectations for the next government. So if he comes in and tells me, ‘I have this political vehicle that is going to deliver whatever it is that I am fighting for,’ I will be at liberty to make my decision. But as of now, I am watching,” she stated.