NAIROBI, KENYA – The Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) on Friday, November 21, 2025, moved to quash swirling rumours of a leadership coup, denouncing a widely circulated letter that claimed Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa had been ousted and replaced by Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya. In an official communication, the party labelled the document “fake and misleading,” asserting that its contents were a complete fabrication designed to sow discord among its members and the Kenyan public.

The forged letter alleged that the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) had held an emergency meeting and resolved to remove Wamalwa with immediate effect. It further claimed Governor Natembeya had been installed as the new party leader, with Ayub Savula as his deputy. The document also bore a forged signature attributed to Seth Panyako as the supposed new acting secretary-general. DAP-K leadership has since clarified that no such meeting occurred and its leadership structure remains unchanged.

Governor Natembeya also dismissed the claims, alleging the fake letter was being circulated by political opponents from the ruling coalition to create division within DAP-K, particularly to interfere with the upcoming Malava parliamentary by-election scheduled for November 27.

A Symptom of a Deeper Political Fracture

While the letter has been confirmed as a forgery, it did not emerge in a political vacuum. It is the latest public manifestation of a deep and ongoing leadership crisis within DAP-K that has been escalating for several months. Since at least August 2025, a significant rift has developed between factions loyal to Wamalwa and those supporting Governor Natembeya.

The internal conflict has seen rival petitions filed seeking the removal of both Wamalwa and Natembeya from their respective positions. Reports from August indicated the emergence of two distinct camps: a 'conservative' wing led by Wamalwa, which favours maintaining the party's current structure, and a 'liberal' faction led by Natembeya, which is pushing for a strategic rebranding to give the party a more national appeal beyond its Western Kenya stronghold.

Natembeya has accused Wamalwa of failing to give the party a national outlook and of micromanaging his leadership as governor. Conversely, Wamalwa’s allies have accused the governor of betrayal, arrogance, and being influenced by external forces to orchestrate a hostile takeover of the party. In July 2025, the DAP-K Parliamentary Group issued a statement expressing full confidence in Wamalwa and vowing to resist any unconstitutional attempts to seize control of the party leadership.

Implications for Western Kenya and Azimio Coalition

The persistent infighting within DAP-K, a key member of the Azimio La Umoja opposition coalition, carries significant political implications for Kenya. The party, which was the fifth largest in the country following the 2022 general election, is a crucial political vehicle in the vote-rich Western region. A fractured DAP-K could weaken the opposition's grip on the region, potentially creating an opening for President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza administration to make inroads.

Wamalwa and his supporters have directly accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of infiltrating the party to destabilize it from within, a charge that aligns with broader opposition concerns about the erosion of multi-party democracy. The internal disputes have already caused public divisions in the run-up to the Malava by-election, where Deputy Party Leader Ayub Savula broke ranks to endorse the UDA candidate, citing the need to support the government.

In August 2025, the party's National Management Council referred the disputes to its Internal Disputes Resolution Committee to find a way forward. However, with the public surfacing of forged documents, it is clear the underlying tensions remain unresolved. The battle for control of DAP-K is not merely an internal affair but a struggle that could reshape political alliances and influence the trajectory of Western Kenya politics ahead of the 2027 elections.