Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has publicly associated himself with a newly registered political party, which he says will provide a political home for rebels from major political outfits.
In an interview with the Nation , Dr Khalwale confirmed his links to the United Patriotic Movement (UPM). According to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), the new outfit has met all the requirements for registration and is awaiting full registration.
Among the political heavyweights, the party is expected to attract are ODM elected leaders who have fallen out with the faction led by Dr Oburu Oginga.
Also expected to embrace the new outfit are members of DAP-Kenya, led by former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), and Ford Kenya, whose party leader is National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula.
With barely 13 months until the General Election, a number of elected leaders from different political parties have indicated that they intend to switch allegiance ahead of the 2027 contest.
“UPM is a national party and will have who is who in the political space in this country who is advancing the one term agenda. Exciting times are coming and this is the party of the future not only in Western alone but nationally. That is why I can confirm I'm associated with it,” said the senator.
He, however, declined to clarify whether former ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and several other politicians from the Orange party would be joining UPM.
“The official communication on this will be clear in the coming weeks but our aspirations fall within the roadmap and timeline framework set out by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC),” he added.
Mr Sifuna's future in ODM remains uncertain despite his move to court to challenge his removal as the party's secretary-general. There have been reports that he is weighing his political options and has been linked to several new political parties, although he has yet to publicly declare whether he intends to leave ODM.
ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna addresses the media at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on February 18, 2026.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
On Sunday, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, who is politically aligned with Dr Khalwale and Mr Sifuna, revealed plans by a section of leaders from Western Kenya to form a new political party.
The first-term governor, who was elected on a DAP-Kenya ticket, said the party would be unveiled within the next three weeks and would bring together key leaders from the region, including Mr Sifuna and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi.
“Give us three weeks and you will see the white smoke. We will no longer accept to be used politically. All other communities are united on their own, and we must now do the same as the people of the Western region," said Mr Natembeya.
Dr Khalwale said UPM would not be made up of political novices but experienced leaders championing the one-term agenda and committed to fighting for the interests of Kenyans.
“When you see those being persecuted, for example in ODM, are they political novices? The party will have leaders who are committed to liberating this country from bad governance and those who are fighting for change,” he said.
The senator, who was elected on a UDA ticket, has since indicated that he will contest the Kakamega governorship in 2027 on a UPM ticket.
Asked how the party would differ from the many other political outfits in Western Kenya and the gap it intends to fill, the former Ikolomani MP said the focus should be on its national representation rather than regional politics.
“It is not only a Western Kenya party because the political players in it are also those in the national scene from different regions. Our interest is also in our region which for the first time is not divided but focused on voting out this regime and will be having over four million votes by 2027,” he said.
The Western region comprises Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties, which the Independent IEBC projects will have more than 3.2 million registered voters by the 2027 General Election.
When combined with voters from the Western community living in Nairobi, Kisumu, Kiambu, Migori, Mombasa and other counties, the voting bloc could exceed four million.
The region has become a key political battleground, with leaders aligned to the Kenya Kwanza administration, the United Opposition coalition and the Edwin Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi movement all competing for influence.
