A growing number of Mt Kenya politicians who helped President William Ruto and his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) win the region in 2022 are abandoning the ruling party, in an exodus threatening to reshape the region’s alliances ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The latest to jump ship is Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe, who says he can no longer convince voters to support Dr Ruto’s re-election bid as hostility towards UDA grows in the region.

“The political bush is on fire. It is now an emergency and survival is the mode. My constituents are screaming at the mention of Dr Ruto and UDA. This is politics and it is the mating season as formations pursue coalitions. It is normal and we have to live with it,” he said.

Mr Kagombe’s departure follows that of Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and his Nyandarua counterpart Kiarie Badilisha, who have moved to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), while Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has ruled out seeking re-election on a UDA ticket.

For Mr Kagombe, the decision is less about ideology than survival. He said he would return to his constituents and explain his decision, including what he described as “UDA and Dr Ruto’s lies in the Mountain” and growing dissatisfaction with Mt Kenya’s interests in the broad-based government.

He said the turning point came during the broad-based government retreat in Naivasha on Monday when Kisii Governor Simba Arati openly declared that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) wanted the Deputy President’s position.

Mr Kagombe said the remarks sent a chilling message to UDA leaders from Mt Kenya that their political arrangement with President Ruto could be ending.

“You can imagine the feelings when Mr Arati demanded the seat occupied by our own Prof Kithure Kindiki as he sat there. It was distasteful. The President did not accept and did not deny. That means he is interested in that debate. It is audit time and now for me, I have to flee,” he said.