Governor Waiguru Challenges Rival MPs in Kirinyaga's Political Showdown.

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A brewing power struggle within the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in Kirinyaga County has become public, revealing significant divisions as the party approaches critical internal elections.
Tensions boiled days after three MPs, Ndia’s George Kariuki, Mwea’s Mary Maingi, and Gichugu’s Robert Gichimu, jointly unveiled what they called a UDA party headquarters in Kutus town. The initiative drew immediate backlash from Governor Anne Waiguru and her supporters, who branded it a divisive ploy within the ruling party.
On Friday 09, 2025, Waiguru spearheaded a rival UDA meeting in Kutus with Kirinyaga Central MP Gachoki Gitari and several county MCAs. There, she unleashed a fierce rebuke against leaders eroding party unity, rejecting Ndia MP Kariuki's claims of seniority.
“As the elected governor of Kirinyaga, I am automatically the senior-most UDA leader at the county level. If anyone thinks they outrank this office, they should first contest and win the governor’s seat,” Waiguru declared. She urged Kariuki to prove his words at the ballot rather than through internal maneuvering, insisting true leadership comes from voters, not self-proclamations.
Gitari echoed her stance, affirming the governor's role as county coordinator under UDA's established structures. “Tomorrow’s internal elections will settle this definitively,” he said, brushing off the rival faction's seniority push.
The feud intensified when County Assembly Speaker Muteti Murimi rejected the Sifa Gardens office in Kutus as unofficial, calling on members to honor hierarchy and avoid self-sabotage. He specifically pressed Kariuki to defer to Waiguru, stressing discipline and cohesion ahead of bigger battles.
The internal polls, now underway, aim to solidify leadership for the 2027 general elections, nurturing emerging talents to drive economic transformation and sustain the Kenya Kwanza agenda. Observers predict the results will redraw the county's political map, crowning the true party kingpin.