Why Wa Muthende wants Kenya to ditch kingpin politics ahead of 2027

Mbeere North MP Leo Wa Muthende. [Screen Grab]

Mbeere North MP Leo Wa Muthende has warned that political kingpins could breed dictatorship, calling for a shift towards spokesperson-style leadership ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Wa Muthende said community representatives should speak for their people without assuming unchecked political authority.

Speaking during an interview on Spice FM on Wednesday, he argued that a spokesperson represents a community in a measured manner while a kingpin can become a dominant figure who faces little challenge within the political base.

“Sometimes, kingpinship breeds dictatorship and we have seen this with some leaders at some of the rallies they hold, where they openly dissent against other leaders, shout them down and refuse to recognise their leadership,” Wa Muthende warned.

He urged voters to assess leaders based on their records, vision and plans rather than their association with a political kingpin or dominant party.

Wa Muthende said the 2027 election would test whether voters still follow political leaders based on regional influence or examine what individual candidates have delivered.

“Kingpins are viewed as people who speak on behalf of a community or region but in Kenyan politics some spokespersons end up representing themselves,” he noted.

His remarks drew a response from Ol Kalou MP Sammy Kamau, who defended the role of kingpins as community leaders who provide political direction.

Kamau, whose Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) is led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, identified Gachagua as the political kingpin of the Mt Kenya region.

“Rigathi Gachagua is undeniably the kingpin in the Mountain region because he is advocating for the interests of the people of the region,” Kamau argued.

The exchange comes as political parties and leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election, with regional political influence forming part of the debate over alliances and voter mobilisation.

Wa Muthende also accused Kamau's party of using intimidation to secure his victory in the Ol Kalou by-election.

“The people who voted in Ol Kalou received threats both leading up to the election and on Election Day,” he alleged.

Kamau rejected the accusation, saying his approach to leadership was based on serving residents rather than exerting authority over them.

“Our approach to administration is that we do not lord it over the people; we are servants of the people,” Kamau explained.

Wa Muthende won the Mbeere North parliamentary seat in a November 2025 by-election on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.

He secured 15,802 votes against Democratic Party candidate Newton Kariuki's 15,308.

Kamau won the Ol Kalou seat in Nyandarua County in July 2026 on a DCP ticket, defeating UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah.