New twist as Juja MP Koimburi ditches Gachagua’s DCP, back to UDA
Juja Member of Parliament (MP) George Koimburi has ditched former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) and declared he is firmly in President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
The new twist comes after weeks of speculation, in which the hitherto strong ally and henchman of Gachagua was said to be unhappy and uncomfortable with Gachagua’s dalliance with his key rival, Aloise Kinyanjui who is eyeing the Juja seat on a DCP ticket.
Koimburi told journalists that his decision was influenced by what he termed as “conmanship and betrayal” within the DCP leadership, accusing the party of allowing local political rivals to undermine him in his own constituency.
He lamented; “I was Gachagua’s diehard supporter. I have even gone to the cell because of him. I respected him deeply. But the moment he received money to start fighting me through my opponent in Juja, I lost faith in him.”
Koimburi, who is seeking re-election for a third term, is expected to face stiff challenge from Kinyanjui who’s a brother to former Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria and Kiambu County Assembly Majority Leader Godfrey Mucheke.
The legislator also took the occasion to warn politicians considering joining DCP, describing the party as unsafe for political growth.
“For those seeking to join DCP, I warn you today to tread carefully. The pit you are throwing yourself into is very deep,” he said.
Koimburi’s decision comes at a time when Kinyanjui has already aligned himself with Gachagua’s DCP and has been actively campaigning alongside the party leader.
Last Sunday, Kinyanjui was seen in Gatundu in the company of Gachagua, where he publicly declared his loyalty to the DCP leader. The duo later toured Kimbo area in Juja, where he formally announced his defection to the party from Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party.
Kinyanjui also lost the race for the Juja seat to Koimburi who rode on a UDA ticket in the 2022 elections, to clinch a strong second position.
Following his move to go back to the Kenya Kwanza coalition, Koimburi said he will now directly engage State House to push for the completion of stalled development projects in his constituency.
“I will now go to State House and lobby for completion of projects that have stalled in Juja,” he said. I will ensure that those in the budget such as roads, electricity and other infrastructure will be completed under President Ruto’s leadership,” he asserted.
Among projects he expects the government to prioritise include tarmacking of Witeithie–Maraba and Kimbo–Matangi-ini roads.
The MP was in the limelight mid last year when he was said to have been abducted and tortured by alleged government security agents before being dumped in a coffee farm along the Ruiru – Kibichoi road within Kiambu County.
However, Koimburi was later arrested by police and charged in court along with one of his political aides and two other persons for stage managing the abduction.
He was first elected on Moses Kuria’s Chama Cha Kazi (CCM) party during a by-election in 2021, following the demise of then MP Francis Waititu Wakapee. He then later shifted his alliance to UDA and was re-elected in 2022.
