A fresh storm is brewing within the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) after Mumias East MP Peter Salasya dramatically distanced himself from ongoing wrangles in the party, accusing Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya of orchestrating a “forceful takeover.”

In a strongly worded post shared on Friday, August 1, 2025, Salasya, a vocal party member, stated that his loyalty remains with DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa but declared that he would not involve himself in the growing tension.

“I was only trying to protect your interest from the goon @GeorgeNatembeya. Now I step back to watch this goon destabilise your party,” he wrote, adding, “I can’t betray you at this point, but it’s okay, mimi nisiingilie vita yenu.”

The outburst comes amid an intensifying internal power struggle, with Natembeya pushing for a transformation of DAP-K from a Western Kenya-based party into a national political outfit. On July 29, the governor called for the rebranding of DAP-K to expand its appeal, a move that Salasya and others view as undermining Wamalwa’s leadership.

Wamalwa calls for calm amid power struggle

In a parallel statement, Eugene Wamalwa urged both Salasya and Natembeya to respect the party’s internal processes and avoid causing disunity.

“My brother Peter Salasya, both you and my brother George Natembeya do not have to leave or cause a coup in our party DAP-K to become party leaders or presidential candidates,” Wamalwa said, emphasising the need for internal democracy. “You are welcome to face me for the presidential ticket… without wrecking our party or washing our dirty linen in public.”

Salasya, who was ranked fourth among youthful MPs in a 2023 Infotrak poll, accused Natembeya of using underhand tactics, including allegedly influencing National Executive Council (NEC) members with financial incentives. “People didn’t come to DAP-K because of NEC members; they came because of the Eugene Wamalwa brand,” he said.

While Salasya hinted at future presidential ambitions, he maintained that succession should be orderly. “When the time comes, I’ll tell him my political father, it’s now my time to move out and form my own house. Not this silly forceful takeover,” he noted.

As DAP-K finds itself at a crossroads, the internal rift threatens to derail the party’s broader ambitions ahead of the 2027 polls. Whether the feuding camps will find common ground remains uncertain, but for now, the cracks within the party are out in the open.