United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Homa Bay County chairman Kennedy Obuya and Safina Secretary-General and Nairobi Senate aspirant Joakim Simiyu during an interview at Spice FM on August 20,2026. [Screengrab]
Political analysts have described a growing wave of defections from President William Ruto's administration as acts of self-preservation, saying leaders are distancing themselves from an unpopular government ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during an interview on Spice FM on Thursday, Safina Secretary-General and Nairobi Senate aspirant Joakim Simiyu and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Homa Bay County chairman Kennedy Obuya differed sharply on the political realignments, with Simiyu questioning the timing of the defections and Obuya insisting that consistency remains a key measure of leadership.
"I've watched people defect from William Ruto and I'm asking, why now, if not for their own survival? These defections should not be taken seriously," said Simiyu.
Obuya said leaders who backed the Kenya Kwanza administration and its policies over the last four years should account for their records instead of abandoning ship as the country heads towards the 2027 polls.
"Consistency is a serious currency in leadership and governance," he observed.
The debate comes amid growing political realignments, particularly in the Mt Kenya region, where several leaders have either left UDA or moved closer to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).