Ex-Public Service CS Moses Kuria and former Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura. Photo/Collage
By Newsflash Writer
Fresh political signals from two of President William Ruto’s long-time allies have triggered speculation over whether the Broad-Based Government could be headed for another round of high-profile defections as the political realignments ahead of the 2027 General Election gather momentum.
Former Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura and former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria have, in recent days, made public remarks that many political observers interpret as expressions of dissatisfaction with the current administration.
While neither politician has announced plans to leave President Ruto’s camp, their recent conduct has raised questions about whether cracks are beginning to emerge within Kenya Kwanza, particularly among leaders from the Mt Kenya region.
Mwaura’s emotional exit
The first signs came after Mwaura was moved from the Office of the Government Spokesperson to become Head of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Disability Rights in the Executive Office of the President.
Although the communication from the Head of Public Service described the move as a reassignment, many political observers viewed it differently.
As Government Spokesperson, Mwaura occupied one of the administration’s most visible communication platforms, regularly addressing the media and defending government policy. His new office, while important, carries significantly less public visibility.
Instead of quietly assuming his new responsibilities, Mwaura organised an emotional farewell ceremony with staff from his former office.
He later shared photographs showing visibly emotional and dejected employees, most of them young professionals who had worked closely with him.
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On Thursday, July 30, when President Ruto delivered his Special National Address, Mwaura appeared to mock the President in a brief message.
As discussions swirled around the President’s expected unveiling of Vision 2060, Mwaura posted a brief message on his verified Facebook page reading: “Vision 100…”
The post was widely interpreted as sarcastic, seemingly poking fun at the government’s long-term development agenda at a time when Vision 2030 is approaching its target year.
For a serving presidential appointee, the message appeared to depart from the principle of collective responsibility that ordinarily requires senior government officials to publicly support government policy.
Sources have told Newsflash that Mwaura could be weighing his political options, although no official announcement has been made.
Ahead of the 2017 General Election, he left ODM for the Jubilee Party to contest the Ruiru parliamentary seat but lost the party nomination to Simon Ng’ang’a King’ara before later being nominated to the Senate to represent persons with disabilities.
He again switched political allegiance before the 2022 elections by joining UDA, only to once more lose the Ruiru nomination to King’ara.
Although he initially challenged the nomination process, he eventually accepted the outcome and campaigned for the party.
Kuria’s Titanic analogy
On Friday, July 31, Kuria published a lengthy analogy comparing the current political situation to the sinking of the Titanic.
According to Kuria, the ship had already struck the iceberg, passengers had accepted their fate and even the rats were scrambling for safety.
Yet, he wrote, two groups remained oblivious to the unfolding disaster.
Read more: Why Kuria has resigned
“The band continued playing the music like nothing was happening. And… wives of the nobles and the rich were still quarrelling loudly about who would sit on the front row,” he wrote.
Although he never mentioned President Ruto or Kenya Kwanza directly, the timing and language of the post immediately generated political debate, with many interpreting it as an assessment of the coalition’s current state.
Growing silence in Mt Kenya
The latest developments also come against the backdrop of unusual silence from several prominent Kenya Kwanza leaders in the Mt Kenya region.
Following the July 16 by-elections, in which the UDA candidate lost to the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate, some of the coalition’s previously outspoken figures have significantly reduced their public political engagements.
Among those whose silence has attracted attention are National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa and Nyandarua Woman Representative Faith Gitau.
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