Bahati Jubilee MP Njoki in bed with UDA 2027

Bahati MP Irene Njoki is in bed with UDA party and is backing governor Nakuru Susan Kihika re- election bid in the impending 2027 General Election.

Njoki was elected on Jubilee party 2022 ticket, defeating Kimani Ngunjiri. She got 34,308 votes against Ngunjiri’s 26,809 votes.  

That Njoki is sympathetic to the establishment was witnessed when she graced UDA party function where15,000 grassroot beneficiaries drawn from over 200 organised community groups in Bahati and Subukia constituencies received support to expand their businesses and uplift their livelihoods.
UDA national chairperson, Cecily Mbarire joined Kihika and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen at the political function.

 Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, the face to fly UDA ticket, Nakuru senate race was also present. He is being bankrolled by the governor to checkmate senator Thabitha Karanja of Keroche in the hot Nakuru politics.

The function had also UDA sympathiser woman representatives Rehab Mukami, Taita Taveta’s Lydia Haika, nominated Senator Veronica Maina, Gatundu North MP Elijah Kururia, Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi, EALA MP Falhada Iman, UDA NEC Member Hassan Duale among other leaders. 

Ngunjiri blamed his 2022 loss to Njoki to senior UDA figures. It is said Kihika openly campaigned for Njoki.

 Ngunjiri who now has a new party was betrayed by senior leaders within UDA, the party he was running on its ticket.

UDA performed well in Nakuru County, capturing the governorship, senate seat, and a majority of parliamentary positions but things seem different now with opposition party DCP of Rigathi Gachagua, former deputy president, being keenly watched.

During the heated 2022 campaigns, Kihika and Ngunjiri were engaged in supremacy wars.

In June 2022, Ngunjiri publicly endorsed Governor Kihika’s main opponent then incumbent governor Lee Kinyanjui of the rival Azimio coalition, something UDA luminaries did not like.  Kinyanjui is now trade cabinet secretary in Ruto’s government and planning to run for governorship next year.

Ngunjiri moved on to challenge Njoki’s victory in court citing irregularities and voter intimidation before dropping the case. He was appointed as a Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for the Ministry of Lands by the new administration in March 2023 but High Court declared the CAS posts unconstitutional in July 2023.

He defected from UDA party in April 2024. In a radio interview on April 3, 2024, he declared: “I want to say in this media and everybody in Kenya to hear me, I am not in UDA myself. I will never wear yellow anymore.”

Bahati MP race 2027 apart from Njoki and Ngunjiri has John Quindos Karanja , Benson Mwangi Ngumo aka Wamalori with many faces likely to join as 2027 general election  approaches.