Wamalwa: Ruto tried to lure me with Defence CS slot to join govt
By Mabonga Makhanu, December 18, 2025Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa has revealed that President William Ruto tried to lure him with the Defence Cabinet Secretary position in an effort to bring him into government ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during an interview on a local radio station on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the former Defence Cabinet Secretary explained that after Aden Duale’s exit from the defence docket following a cabinet reshuffle, the president sent his proxies to convince him to take over Duale’s role, who later moved to the Environment and Forestry Ministry before eventually settling in the Health Cabinet Ministry.
Wamalwa said he turned down the offer, choosing to remain in the opposition, and told the president that he was not interested.
He added that the president, seeing the United Opposition’s growing strength and recognising it as a threat to his reelection, has resorted to desperate measures to try and buy opposition leaders into his government.
“President William Ruto has been sending people to us so that we join his govt. Upon Duale’s exit from defence, he wanted me to replace him, but I told him that I am not interested,” Wamalwa stated.
Wamalwa emphasised that the United Opposition’s goal is to prevent the president from being reelected in 2027, restore popular policies such as Linda Mama and NHIF that were implemented during Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime, and reverse policies currently pursued under the present administration.
His remarks come days after rumours circulated that he and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka were being co-opted by the state. This prompted former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, during a meeting in Laikipia, to state that if Ruto wants to talk to Kalonzo or Eugene, he must go through him, as they are all “cousins”.
Weakening Opposition
Eugene Wamalwa has also accused the president of trying to weaken opposition parties in areas where they enjoy huge support.
For the Wiper party, Wamalwa stated that former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s recently launched party was formed to weaken Kalonzo’s influence in the Ukambani region
“In Ukambani, the party that was recently launched by Mike Sonko, together with the Alfred Mutua party, wants to use it to divide the Ukambani region,” Wamalwa stated.
Weakening DAP-K
He also said that the same is happening to his DAP-K party in western Kenya, where, according to him, splinter parties are being registered to hamper its influence in the Mulembe region
As an example, he mentioned the Democratic National Party (DNA) led by Barrack Muluka, which fielded a candidate in the Malava by-election. The candidate had previously been in DAP-K but defected to DNA after Seth Panyako was awarded a direct nomination.
Eugene further cited Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale’s party, which he launched in July and dubbed the United Patriotic Movement (UPM). Who, after launching it, left it to be run by university students and announced that he would use it for his 2027 gubernatorial bid.