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Mwingi West MP Nguna dumps Kalonzo for Ruto after Gachagua ouster vote fallout
President William Ruto and Mwingi West MP Charles Ngusya Nguna at a past event. Mr Nguna proposed the new law.
Voting in the National Assembly is as routine as the plenary sessions the members have every day.
Each piece of legislation is decided through a vote between those in support and those opposed to it, where the majority have their way.
However, outside Parliament, hardly does an MP's choice in voting elicit huge controversy like Mwingi West MP Charles Ngusya Nguna's decision to vote for the impeachment motion against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in October last year.
Prior to that motion, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka met his party MPs and senators, among them Mr Nguna, where a position was adopted that they oppose and vote against the former DP's impeachment proceedings.
One year down the line, the MP is still facing a Damascus moment as he navigates a tricky political balance between being loyal to Mr Musyoka, his party boss, or defecting to President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
"I went round the constituency explaining to people why I voted for the Gachagua impeachment motion. I even had radio talk shows, but this matter has refused to go away," Mr Nguna lamented in an interview with the Nation.
He feels his political enemies have capitalised on that vote to portray him as disloyal to the Wiper party and create a political wedge between him and Mr Musyoka.
"It's like I committed an unforgivable sin just by voting for the Gachagua motion. Even sitting down with my party leader and sending elders to plead with him has not helped matters," he explains in a palpable tone of desperation.
First, Mr Nguna admits he never anticipated that Mr Gachagua, who was President Ruto's deputy in the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, would easily close ranks with Mr Musyoka under the united opposition.
Now, he has become the punching bag whenever Mr Musyoka and Mr Gachagua address rallies in Ukambani, where he is described as the party rebel who betrayed the interests of the Kamba community.
The DCP leader begins his speeches by thanking Wiper MPs who stood by him during his impeachment trial, naming each by name, making it awkward for him to be embraced in the new political formation.
On the ground, the situation is hostile to the extent that Mr Nguna prefers not to attend any of the opposition rallies, for fear of being embarrassed and jeered by crowds.
"I'm not the only MP from this region who voted that way. In fact, the motion was moved by a Kamba MP, Mwengi Mutuse from Kibwezi West, but I have been labelled a UDA sympathiser as they push me out of Wiper party just because I voted for it," he explained.
On Wednesday evening, just a day after Mr Musyoka led the united opposition in a series of campaign rallies in Machakos and Kitui counties, which Mr Nguna skipped, the MP was hosted by President Ruto at State House in Nairobi.
Defection from Wiper
According to him, top on the discussions was his defection from Wiper and the prospects of retaining the Mwingi West seat on a UDA ticket.
"One thing is now certain, I will not defend my seat on Wiper. Going forward, I will work with President Ruto and vie on UDA ticket because he embraced me while my party has refused to forgive me," he explained to Nation on telephone.
Mr Nguna says chances of being accepted back to Wiper and winning the party ticket for re-election are now slim, and he is weighing other options, but remains hopeful that voters will not be swayed by party rather than his performance record.
"I was invited for tea at State House by the President and we discussed a lot of projects in my constituency and agreed to work closely and he promised to help me in the 2027 campaigns" Mr Nguna said.
Earlier in the week, the MP posted on his Facebook page, a passionate plea to Mr Musyoka to forgive him as his son.
"I am a true son of HE Kalonzo Musyoka because he mentored me when I was young and I have been very loyal, deep from my heart I will always respect and cherish him, based on what transpired yesterday at Kalundu, now it's my turn to live and act as a leader who has learned from the best and most humble leader I have ever met in SKM." read the post on Facebook.
During the Kitui rally, Mr Musyoka publicly cautioned the MP to stop being duped by the President and listen to the voices of his electorate, saying the projects he was seeking from State House were a right of the people and not a favour to be begged for.
Mr Nguna said the president had agreed to tarmac the 27 kilometer Kwa Siku - Migwani - Mbondoni road in his constituency, at a cost of Sh3.8 billion road project.
The project is part of the Kibwezi - Kitui - Mwingi highway, which stalled three years ago, and the MP says he had to beg President Ruto for its revival and completion.
While meeting Kamba MPs allied to Kenya Kwanza at State House yesterday, President Ruto single out Mr Nguna for praise for announcing he had joined his team. The MP was part of the delegation.
"I specially thank Mwingi West MP Charles Ngusya Nguna of the Wiper Party for his bold move to join our team so as to push forward the development agenda in his constituency" the president said.
Mr Nguna who is serving his second term in Parliament has been under intense pressure from Wiper party over his dalliance with UDA, with Mr Musyoka warning his actions violated the provisions of Political Parties Act on party discipline.
His troubles began last year when he defied his party's position and voted for the contentious 2024 Finance Bill.
This trend of caucusing with UDA in parliament and habitually skipping Wiper meetings has earned him the tag of a rebel within the party.
In Kenya, the law on defection, or party-hopping, is governed by the Constitution and the Political Parties Act. Specifically, Article 194(1)(e) of the Constitution stipulates that a member of National Assembly who changes parties from the one that sponsored their election will lose their seat.
This Act outlines the circumstances under which a member is considered to have resigned from a party, including joining another party or promoting the ideology of another party, and the main penalty for defection is the loss of one's elected seat.
Kathiani MP and Wiper Organising Secretary Robert Mbui dared Mr Nguna to resign from Parliament and seek fresh mandate on UDA ticket if he felt dissatisfied in Wiper.
Mr Mbui who is also the Deputy Minority Leader in the National Assembly said if you ride on a certain party's ticket to win election, you shouldn't betray that party when it comes to voting in Parliament.
"We have seen some politicians who tried that route before, elected on Wiper but caucusing with rival parties, they're now called former MPs" Mr Mbui said adding the Mwingi West MP was unknowingly signing his own political obituary.
Four months ago, Mr Nguna hosted Kenya Kwanza leaders in his constituency for a women empowerment fundraiser, as his boss Mr Musyoka, accompanied by all Wiper MPs and senators, embarked on a roadshow campaign from Nairobi to Mombasa.
During the fundraiser at Migwani market, the MP fell short of announcing his defection to UDA, as he repeatedly asked his constituents whether they will re-elect him regardless of the political party he will vie on.
He told the rally cum fundraiser at that his close association with UDA leadership was solely for the benefit of his constituents and that he was still loyal to Wiper.
"I have tremendous respect for my party leader Kalonzo Musyoka but I was elected to serve and deliver tangible development to my constituency. This, I cannot achieve without working closely with the government of the day" said Mr Nguna.
The MP said government had also approved the construction of a Sh300 million market at Migwani market,
"My loyalty to Wiper and my party leader is intact, but our party didn't win the last elections to form government and therefore I have to lobby for projects from the ruling party" the MP explained.
