Embu senator fights bid to expel him from DP party for backing UDA’s Wamuthende in Mbeere North
Embu Senator Munyi Alexander Mundigi.
Embu Senator Alexander Munyi Mundigi has opposed a move by the Democratic Party of Kenya (DP) to expel him for campaigning for and supporting Leonard Muthende in the recently concluded Mbeere North Constituency by-election.
In his response to the move to eject him, Mr Mundigi stated that he will not stop supporting the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, of which DP is a member.
Mr Mundigi said the party’s top organs are yet to meet to sanction a decision to cease being a member of the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition under the stewardship of President William Ruto.
The communication on his removal from the party was relayed to his personal assistant (PA) while he was away on official duty outside Kenya.
His PA received a letter requiring him to explain why he failed to support the DP candidate in the hotly contested Mbeere North by-election.
The party’s Secretary General, Dr Jacob Haji, called him while he was in Uganda and asked him to tender an explanation for campaigning for and supporting the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate.
Dr Haji informed him that his actions amounted to gross misconduct, warranting expulsion from the party.
Mbeere North MP Leonard Muthende.
During the hotly contested parliamentary poll, Mr Muthende of President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) defeated DP candidate Newton Kariuki.
Mr Muthende garnered 15,802 votes against Mr Kariuki’s 15,308, while Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) candidate Duncan Mbui came a distant third with 2,480 votes.
Following Mr Kariuki’s defeat, DP wrote to Senator Mundigi informing him that he would be expelled for supporting and subscribing to the policies of a rival party, UDA.
The party cited the only DP senator for gross misconduct and breach of party rules and Section 148 of the Political Parties Act.
“You have continued to publicly support activities, positions and events associated with the Kenya Kwanza Coalition (KK), notwithstanding the Democratic Party’s withdrawal from the coalition and contrary to party directives requiring all members to act in alignment with Democratic Party resolutions,” Mr Mundigi was informed in a letter signed by Dr Haji.
He was further informed that, pursuant to Article 8, Section b(iv) of the Democratic Party Constitution, a member shall be deemed to have resigned from the party or be subjected to disciplinary action if he or she: (i) forms or joins another party, or campaigns for another political party; (ii) advocates for or promotes the ideology, interests or policies of another political party contrary to the law or party policy; or (iii) contravenes the aims, policies and objectives of the DP.
Through the communication, Mr Mundigi was asked to immediately cease all activities, endorsements and public statements contradicting the party’s official position.
He was also required, within 72 hours, to renounce his association with the Kenya Kwanza Coalition and restate his loyalty and commitment to DP, on whose ticket he was elected during the August 2022 General Election; failure to do so would result in disciplinary action being taken against him.
Responding to the expulsion threat, Mr Mundigi, through his lawyer, stated that he had not contravened any known DP laws since the party remains in the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
“Subject to Articles 9 and 10 of the party’s Constitution and by-laws, the top organs, namely the National Delegates Committee (NDC) and the National Governing Council, must meet and pass a resolution to formally exit a coalition government, in which the party is currently part of the larger Kenya Kwanza alliance,” Mr Mundigi stated.
Former Attorney General Justin Muturi.
He added, however, that on March 12, 2025, party leader Justin Muturi politically exited the Kenya Kwanza coalition and that “presumably the party ceased working with and under the memorandum of understanding entered into before the 2022 General Election at the formation of the coalition.”
Mr Mundigi, who is the DP deputy party leader, said he has been remitting Sh10, 000 monthly to the party.
He added that he and Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku were the only elected leaders on a DP ticket who had been remitting the Sh10, 000 monthly contribution, alongside three Members of County Assembly.
Mr Ruku has since stopped remitting contributions after his appointment to the Cabinet.
Mr Mundigi has sought the intervention of the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal to avert an imminent move to remove him from the party.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
