National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has sent out a warning to Ford Kenya party officials ahead of the party grassroots elections.

In his speech on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, during a burial ceremony, the speaker warned that the party would not tolerate joyriders anymore, declaring that the exercise will be free and fair.

“To the people of Ford Kenya. You will be going to cast votes in the grassroots elections, and I want to reiterate the message that has been said here: there will be no joyriders in the party. The voting will be free and fair without favouring or discriminating against anyone,” he said.

The declaration comes after the party was handed a shocker in the November 27 Chwele-Kabuchai by-election, with residents defying the party candidate for an independent candidate, Erick Wekesa.

The shocking outcome despite the party machinery led by the speaker, Bungoma Governor Kem Lusaka, and allied MPs and Members of County Assembly (MCA) from the region camping in the area and vowing to deliver the seat.

Inquiry into Kabuchai MCA loss

The remarks ostensibly form part of an ongoing postmortem and inquiry into the humbling defeat handed to the Simba party inside its bedrock, raising concern of a possible dwindling influence. Wetang’ula has since opted to crack the whip, with allegations of a section of officials bearing the brunt of the defeat immediately after the elections.

The burial event also saw a section of youths make known their frustrations to their elected leaders.

Earlier as he listed the ongoing infrastructure developments in the region, a youth was heard shouting down the speaker with complaints about being denied employment opportunities in the said projects.

In a past interview on the outcome of the by-lection, Governor Lusaka stated that the polls had handed the politicians from the region a strong wake-up call

“The polls reminded us that the real power belongs to the people, as it happened also in Malava and Mbeere. It’s the lesson we learned. I was not a voter in the region; I only went there to sell the ideas of the candidate of my party, but the people decided who they wanted,” he said.