Leaders in Kilifi Dismiss Jumwa's Party Exit

By Julius Mwabonje

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party leaders have dismissed Jumwa’s defection and accused her of attempting to blackmail President William Ruto, saying her departure would allow the party to remain united ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Led by Kilifi North Member of Parliament Owen Baya and UDA NAtional Elections Board (NEB) member Jimmy Kahindi they dismissed Jumwa’s exit as they bid goodbye with mocking songs that jeopardized her bold step saying she was dishonest and un loyal to the party.

Speaking at Juwaba Hall in Kilifi county Baya said Jumwa tried to blackmail President Ruto by demanding to be given UDA gubernatorial ticket for Kilifi county and threatened to ditch the party if her request is not fulfilled.

The Kilifi North MP who is the Deputy Majority Leader of the National Assembly said the President had told Jumwa that ODM and UDA would sit and do an opinion poll before giving out the ticket while the other candidate would be offered a CS position.

However he said Jumwa was impatient and wanted to blackmail the president and the head of state could not hear of it asking her to stay put for a few months as he settles the matter on who should fly the Kilifi governor .

“As Kilifi leaders we will not blackmail the president and it’s bad manners to go to somebody’s house -statehouse to blackmail the president,” he said.

He claimed that even when Aisha was removed from CS the president has been supporting her to a tune of over Sh 70 million and described her as a greedy leader who was only out to gain personal interests and not the people.

“When she lost election in 2022 it’s Ruto who gave her a cabinet slot and later appointed her to the Kenya Roads Board so it’s not true to claim that she is jobless and has not even a single position be it of that of a sweeper in the government,” said the MP.

He cited that the Kenya Roads Board case is still live in court and it is for that reason that Jumwa cannot be appointed to another docket.

The MP said Jumwa is good i shading crocodile tears to win sympathy and did that during vetting for her cabinet position and yesterday she repeated the same thinking she will earn any sympathy but not really.

“Tell her when you see her that her tears will not give her a job, UDA will remain strong and I assure members of The UDA party that we will field candidates from MCA to the top seat,” he said.

Baya said Jumwa will go alone wherever she is headed for adding that her major problem is lack of finance and hopes she would get assistance the same way she used to get from the president.

“We wish her well wherever she is going let’s meet on the ballot august 2027,” said Baya.

Meanwhile a day after Jumwa declared she had ditched UDA due to frustrations Siaya Governor James Orengo a member of the Linda Wananchi movement visited her at her Kakuyuni home.

Speaking after a closed door meeting Jumwa said she was ready to work with leaders with the same ideologies like her .

Jumwa however did not openly declare if she would join the Linda Wananchi movement saying she was still in consultations with her supporters to decide which direction she would go.

The Siaya Governor on his part said their meeting was an opportunity to discuss how they would go round the country to talk to Kenyans on how they would salvage the country economically.

Orengo said Jumwa was a strong supporter of the late ODM party leader Raila Odinga and commended her for the courage she exhibited despite the humiliations and frustrations by the UDA party.

The Siaya Governor said there were many other Coastal leaders who are set to join the Linda Wananchi movement that seeks to remove President William Ruto from Power in the 2027 general elections.