The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has been dealt a blow ahead of the Magarini parliamentary by-election after its candidate, Furaha Chengo Ngumbao, announced his exit from the party. Ngumbao, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), cited frustrations with the party’s leadership as the main reason for his resignation.
In a strongly worded letter issued on Monday, Ngumbao said his experience with the party’s National Elections Board (NEB) and Secretary-General (SG) Hezron Obanga had been “profoundly disappointing.” He accused the party’s leadership of failing to provide effective communication and ignoring grassroots concerns.
“The persistent lack of communication, disregard for grassroots concerns, and failure to provide clear directives have created an environment where aspirants like myself are left to navigate alone,” Ngumbao stated.
He further pointed to what he described as opaque decision-making processes and the marginalisation of NEC members in critical deliberations. According to him, these challenges eroded his confidence in working with the party.
Ngumbao expressed hope that future leadership would focus on transparency, inclusivity, and accountability. He also urged DCP to foster active engagement with its members to avoid alienating supporters.
His resignation is a major setback for the party, which had been keen to strengthen its presence in Kilifi County and secure more seats in the November 27 by-elections. The timing of his exit is particularly damaging, coming just weeks after he received the party’s nomination certificate from SG Obanga, who had publicly expressed confidence in his candidacy on September 18.
The Magarini seat fell vacant after the court annulled the 2022 Parliamentary election results following a petition. With Ngumbao’s departure, the DCP will now face the tough task of reorganising its strategy as other parties prepare to field strong candidates in the upcoming polls.
