Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja has abandoned President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and joined former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), setting the stage for a fresh political contest in Nakuru County ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Karanja announced her departure from the ruling party on Friday, October 9, declaring that she would seek the Nakuru gubernatorial seat on a DCP ticket.
The senator announced while addressing a gathering in Nakuru, where she criticised the Kenya Kwanza administration over what she described as its failure to fulfil the expectations of Kenyans who voted it into office in 2022.
Her decision marks a change in political affiliation for a leader who joined UDA in January 2022 and subsequently won the Nakuru senatorial seat in the August 2022 General Election under the party.
By choosing DCP as her political vehicle for the 2027 race, Karanja has placed her gubernatorial ambitions within Gachagua’s political camp as preparations for the next election continue to take shape.
The senator, however, framed her decision around the demands of her supporters, saying their views had influenced her decision to seek the county’s top seat under a different party.
“I know very well that you people are my employers. You are my bosses. Even if I went to the Senate, my party leader knows very well who employed me. It is you people who employed me,” Karanja said.
She also signalled her new political affiliation through her attire, telling the gathering that she would contest the gubernatorial seat under DCP.
“You can see I am dressed today in green. My clothes and even my ring are all green, and from today I will vie for that seat under DCP,” she declared.
Karanja explains why she left Ruto’s UDA
Karanja linked her departure from UDA to what she described as a disconnect between the expectations of voters and the performance of the administration they helped elect.
She said supporters had expressed disappointment with the government, arguing that Kenyans who turned out to vote in 2022 had expected their economic and everyday concerns to receive greater attention.
“I want to tell my party leader that I have heard the ground, and people have told me that they had a lot of expectations from this administration. They woke up early to elect this government, but unfortunately they did not meet their expectations,” she said.
The senator also questioned whether Ruto understood the financial pressures facing ordinary households, pointing to the rising cost of milk as an example of the difficulties confronting consumers.
“I can see that our president does not understand the needs of the people. The president does not see ahead. Recently I went to the supermarket and found the prices of milk have risen. It is very shameful for Kenya to lack milk,” Karanja added.
Her remarks place the cost of living at the centre of her explanation for leaving the ruling party, although her announcement also comes as political leaders begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
Karanja did not simply announce a change of party. She also outlined her intention to pursue the Nakuru governorship, a move that will require her to compete for a different elective office from the Senate seat she currently holds.
Her gubernatorial bid will therefore become a central part of her political transition to DCP, with her stated ambition now tied to the contest for leadership of Nakuru County.
DCP becomes Karanja’s vehicle for 2027 bid
Karanja’s move brings her into Gachagua’s DCP as she prepares to challenge for the Nakuru governor’s seat in 2027.
The party switch follows her election to the Senate on a UDA ticket in 2022, when she ran as part of the political formation that secured Ruto’s victory in the presidential election.
Her departure comes amid broader political realignments as leaders reconsider their party affiliations and electoral plans before the next General Election.
On Thursday, October 8, Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba also announced her decision to leave UDA. Unlike Karanja, however, Wamuchomba said she would not seek an elective seat or campaign for the ruling party.
Wamuchomba cited what she described as a lack of respect for other communities among some UDA leaders, particularly taking issue with remarks by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale that she said targeted the Mount Kenya community.
While both leaders have announced their exits from UDA, their stated plans differ. Karanja has declared a gubernatorial bid under DCP, while Wamuchomba has said she will not contest an elective position.
For Karanja, the immediate political question is how she will translate her decision to join Gachagua’s party into a campaign for the Nakuru governorship.
Her announcement establishes DCP as her chosen party for the 2027 race, while her criticism of Ruto’s administration provides the public explanation she has offered for abandoning UDA.
The move adds another development to the evolving political landscape ahead of the next General Election, with Karanja now preparing to pursue her gubernatorial ambitions outside the party under which she entered the Senate.
