Justina Wamae warns of waning public enthusiasm after Muthende’s thin victory in Mbeere North
By Faith Lagat, November 29, 2025Former Roots Party deputy presidential candidate Justina Wamae has warned of waning public enthusiasm following United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Leonard Wa Muthende’s razor-thin victory in the Mbeere North parliamentary by-election.
Muthende secured 15,802 votes against Democratic Party (DP) rival Newton Kariuki’s 15,308, a margin of just 494 votes, in polls held on November 27, 2025, across 22 electoral units nationwide.
In a post on X on November 29, 2025, Wamae captured post-election disillusionment in Mt. Kenya, a region still grappling with the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
“It’s the nature of the Kenyan voter to be wary; soon Muthende will be their source of boredom. Kama dawa Doyen iliwachosha, sembuse… Hii kitu haitaki mafeelings,” she wrote, likening Muthende’s potential fade from favour to public fatigue.
Her post, viewed over 900 times, highlighted a broader pattern of voter exhaustion where initial excitement for new leaders quickly sours amid unmet expectations.
“For those who are celebrating. Compare past results and current results.”
Election irregularities
The by-election, one of several testing President William Ruto’s grip ahead of 2027, was marred by reports of irregularities, including voter intimidation, bribery, and violence.
In Mbeere North, clashes erupted in Siakago town during vote counting, amplifying Wamae’s critique. Former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba urged Kariuki to contest the results in court, stating, “Justice must be followed, no matter how long it takes, no matter how inconvenient it is, no matter how stupid it looks.
You must pursue justice; otherwise, you will be encouraging unlawful activities during elections to keep doing what they are doing.”
Broader implications
Wamae linked voter desperation to systemic poverty, arguing that many accept handouts not by choice but necessity. “The shenanigans in Wantam and Tutam are not answering the real issues affecting Kenyans.
Kenyans do not want handouts; circumstances force them. All Kenyans want is for their genuine effort to be rewarded,” she wrote. Parallel violence in other by-elections, including arson and assaults in Malava Constituency, reinforced her point about coercion and short-lived political triumphs.