Mudavadi seeks to lock out Gachagua's DCP in Malava by-election
Politics
By
Benard Lusigi and Mary Imenza
| Aug 16, 2025
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has dismissed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) as a political outfit without meaningful influence and urged residents of Malava to reject it.
Speaking on Friday during the West Kabras Widows Empowerment Programme, he criticised DCP’s attempts to penetrate the region’s politics, describing the party as inexperienced and untested urging residents of Malava to rally behind United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in the upcoming November by-elections.
“Now, this party that has just arrived, calling itself DCP… whatever, it is not even a parliamentary party. It doesn’t even have a representative right now. Why do they want to do their experiment with the people of Malava?” Mudavadi posed.
The Prime CS told the gathering that residents stood to benefit more by supporting a party already in government and with established political structures.
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He maintained that UDA, led by President William Ruto, was better placed to deliver development projects and address the needs of the constituency. “Stand firm with UDA. President Ruto has stood firm with the people of Malava,” he urged.
In several constituencies and wards, the political atmosphere is gradually heating up as aspirants position themselves, with parties seeking to consolidate their bases and expand their influence.
This comes a day after former Deputy President and DCP leader Gachagua announced his decision to cut short his trip to the United States to return and prepare his political base for the contests. The CS had previously dismissed any claims that he was trying to impose a political candidate on the people of Malava, terming the reports as “cheap and baseless.”
Mudavadi moved to avert any looming division in the UDA party among its aspirants, urging them to pledge loyalty to the party regardless of the outcome of the forthcoming nominations and to promise that they will not defect if they lose.
The aspirants David Ndakwa, Shimaka Leonard, Ryan Injendi (son of the late Malava MP Moses Injendi) and Simon Kangwana pledged not to defect from the party but instead support one of them to defeat opposition candidates led by Seth Panyako of DAP-K and Edgar Busiega of DCP.
Mudavadi, who was tasked by the UDA leadership weeks ago to lead the party’s campaigns in Malava, used the meeting to call for unity and discipline among party members.
Mudavadi urged the aspirants to publicly assure residents that they would stick with UDA after the primaries, warning that defections weaken the party’s chances.
“Tell the people now, before they vote for you, that you will not abandon UDA if you lose. Our politics should be about ideas, not personal ambition,” he said.
Farouk Kibet, a close ally of President William Ruto, urged the aspirants and their supporters to maintain respect during campaigns. He cautioned opposition leaders against spreading falsehoods to discredit others, particularly on development matters.