Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa has been conferred with the title of Kikuyu elder during the official opening of the party’s Mt Kenya regional office in Turitu, Kiambu County.

In a statement shared on his social media channels on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Wamalwa expressed his gratitude, saying he was deeply honoured to receive the recognition as he launched the party’s regional office and welcomed parliamentary and county assembly aspirants from across the Central Kenya region.

“Truly honoured to be made a Kikuyu elder as I officially opened the DAP-K Party Mt Kenya Regional Office at Turitu, Kiambu County, and received parliamentary and county assembly aspirants from across the Central Region ahead of tomorrow’s Nairobi Region Aspirants Meeting,” Wamalwa said.

Natembeya ditches DAP-K

The meeting comes just days after Governor Natembeya announced his departure from DAP-K, the party that was formed towards the end of 2021 as a political vehicle to consolidate the Western Kenya vote behind former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s 2022 presidential bid.

Speaking during an interview on a local radio station, Natembeya confirmed that he had severed ties with Wamalwa’s party, citing differences over the party’s future direction.

According to the governor, he had proposed to Wamalwa that he be allowed to take over the party leadership so that he could transform DAP-K from what he described as a regional outfit into a national political party with support across the country.

However, he claimed that Wamalwa declined the proposal, prompting his decision to leave the party.

Natembeya ditches DAP-K party

Since announcing his exit, Natembeya has thrown his weight behind the Linda Mwananchi movement and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s 2027 presidential bid.

In recent weeks, the governor has shelved his own regional and national political ambitions, declaring Sifuna as the Mulembe region’s preferred presidential candidate and political leader. He has maintained that he will defend his Trans Nzoia gubernatorial seat in 2027 while traversing villages across the Mulembe region to mobilise support for the Nairobi senator.

Sifuna’s party

Natembeya has also disclosed that a new political party associated with Sifuna is expected to be unveiled and will serve as the political vehicle through which leaders from the region intend to pursue power in the 2027 general election.