The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has escalated its campaign efforts in the Mbeere North parliamentary by-election, with a high-powered team led by Deputy Party Leader and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki urging residents to back the party’s candidate, Leonard Muriuki Muthende.
Speaking during rallies in Ngunyumu and Kune on Friday evening, Kindiki said UDA had solid reasons for supporting Muthende, noting that he was best positioned to continue the development track laid by former MP Geoffrey Ruku, now the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service.
“We are not asking you to vote for Leonard Wamuthende without reason,” Kindiki said. “We are asking you to support him because we know he will continue tarmacking roads, connecting households to electricity, expanding water projects and managing bursaries as effectively as Ruku did, if not better.”
Kindiki also criticised Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of sowing division among the electorate instead of focusing on presenting his candidate’s agenda.
“I warn him not to bring divisive politics here,” he said. “Even after the by-election, our people must coexist peacefully.”
Embu Governor and UDA chairperson Cecily Mbarire also rallied residents to reject opposition candidates, arguing that electing an opposition MP would stall development efforts. “Only fools would deliberately walk into the opposition, and the people of Mbeere North are not fools,” she said.
Muthende, who traversed the constituency with the UDA caravan, pledged fair bursary allocation and announced plans to establish an education fund to boost local learners. He also dismissed personal attacks allegedly made by Gachagua, terming them outdated and harmful to community cohesion.
CS Geoffrey Ruku echoed these sentiments, condemning the attacks as culturally insensitive.
Muthende faces Newton Kariuki (DP Party) and Duncan Mbui (CCK Party) in the by-election set for November 27, which will run alongside several other parliamentary, senatorial, and ward by-elections countrywide.
