Moses Kuria issues ex-DCP’s candidate with CCM certificate to challenge Ruto’s UDA in Mbeere North
By Brian Malila, September 9, 2025Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has arrived in Ishiara, Mbeere North Constituency, to issue a Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) party certificate to Duncan Mbui.
Mbui recently ditched Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), citing frustrations.
Kuria’s move is expected to jolt the political landscape in Mbeere North Constituency, Embu County, where the by-election has attracted heavyweight endorsements from Kenya’s top political figures. Mbui’s defection and Kuria’s backing now introduce a new dynamic in an already crowded and heated contest.
This decision pits Kuria directly against President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which has handed its ticket to Leonard Muthende.
Equally significant is the role of former cabinet secretary Justin Muturi, a native of Mbeere North. Muturi has thrown his weight behind the Democratic Party (DP), fielding Muminji Ward MCA Newton Karish. Both Muturi and Mbui share an MCA ward, and the latter is serving his second term as an MCA. The ward is the most populous.
The battle line extends further to retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose Jubilee Party has settled on philanthropist Jacob Ireri Mbao.
The rally in Ishiara, where Kuria is set to issue a certificate to Mbui, is attended by over 5,000 supporters. With four powerful political brands – Ruto, Muturi, Uhuru, and now Kuria – all fielding candidates, the contest has morphed into a test of influence among Kenya’s top leaders.
Mbui frustration
Mbui has lifted the lid on the frustrations that pushed him out of the DCP, accusing the party of sidelining him in favour of the Democratic Party (DP) candidate fronted by Justin Muturi.
Speaking in Ishiara, Mbui revealed that he was informed DCP would not be allowed to field a candidate in Mbeere North because the opposition had agreed to rally behind Muturi’s DP.
“They took me round until I bolted out. I was told DCP won’t run a candidate because one of the opposition lives here. What is that now? I had to quit and find a way for the KivuiKivui fraternity,” Mbui said, signalling deep cracks within opposition ranks over the by-election.
He maintained that the decision to bar him from running under DCP was unjust and an affront to democracy, stressing that every political party should have the freedom to present its candidate without coercion.
Mbui, who has previously clinched victory in Mbeere North politics, expressed confidence that his new political vehicle, CCK, will deliver him back to Parliament. “I will win because I have won before,” he declared to the cheering crowd.
With Kuria’s backing and the support of his grassroots network, Mbui now believes he is better placed to mount a serious challenge in the high-stakes race, promising to give Mbeere North voters an independent alternative to the dominant political blocs.