Nakuru's UDA Split Deepens as Kihika-Karanja Feud Escalates

A fierce political clash between Nakuru Governor Susah Kihika and Senator Tabitha Karanja is on the verge of dividing the ruling United Democratic Party (UDA) right down the middle.

The conflict between the two politicians has brought division among their supporters in Nakuru County, resulting in a more hostile political climate. Recently, Governor Kihika broke away from Senator Karanja and openly threw his support behind Nakuru East MP David Gikaria for the 2027 General Elections, causing their feud to take on new dimensions. Interestingly, the Governor and the Senator had run for election in 2022 side by side under the banner of UDA, but now their alliance is no more. However, they have now turned against each other, leading to an all-out political conflict.

The ongoing conflict between Governor Kihika and Nakuru War Memorial Hospital regarding land ownership has intensified their already strained relationship. Their verbal exchanges have been relentless, as the senator alleges that the governor is ignoring court directives, potentially causing disorder in the county. Conversely, Governor Kihika has belittled her rival's accomplishments in the Senate. During her speech in London Ward, the governor addressed a pressing concern regarding the Senator's failure to support devolution in Nakuru.

The governor conveyed disappointment that instead of fulfilling her obligation to fight for resources for the county, the Senator is preoccupied with using derogatory language on social media and summoning MCAs. The conflict among the leaders has led to a split in the county leadership. Meanwhile, Governor Kihika, MP Gikaria, and Nakuru West MP Samuel Arama jointly inaugurated the road tarmacking project in the ward. They alleged that the Senator is leveraging the Nakuru War Memorial Hospital dispute to boost her political standing in the upcoming elections. The state of affairs in Nakuru can be likened to turbulence that disrupts flights in midair.

“The only problem I have in Nakuru is that the senator is not pro-devolution. Instead of using her position as is required by the constitution to push for resources for our county, she is busy name calling on social media and summoning MCAs,” Governor Kihika said in London ward on Thursday.

Governor Kihika is also engaged in a political rivalry with fellow Parliament members (MPs) from the region. They accuse her administration of failing to prioritize development in their respective areas and suspect that she may be backing their opponents. The MPs who are against Kihika include Paul Chebor, Joseph Tanui, Jayne Kihara, Martha Wangari, and former Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri. In response, the anti-Kihika MPs have formed a political group called G7, which has received support from Senator Karanja.