The political chessboard for the 2027 General Election is already being rearranged, and the first major casualty is Public Service CS Moses Kuria’s Chama Cha Kazi (CCK). In a high-profile defection that signals a consolidation of power within the ruling coalition, Faith Mwaura—Kuria’s former running mate in the Kiambu gubernatorial race—has formally jumped ship to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Mwaura, a prominent real estate entrepreneur who cut her political teeth in the intense 2022 campaigns, was received at the UDA headquarters in Nairobi by the party’s National Vice Chair, Kelvin Lunani. Her move is not merely a change of jersey; it is a calculated strategic pivot as she declares her candidature for the Roysambu Constituency parliamentary seat in 2027. Her exit leaves CCK, a chaotic affiliate of the Kenya Kwanza coalition, looking increasingly hollow.

"Leaving the Small River"

"Politics is about interests and alignment," Mwaura told a battery of journalists during her reception. "After careful consideration, I found that UDA's bottom-up economic model aligns perfectly with my vision for the people of Roysambu. It is for that reason I decided to leave the small river to join the big river that feeds the ocean."

The "small river" metaphor was a thinly veiled jab at her former party leader, Moses Kuria, whose influence in the Mt. Kenya region has been under siege from the relentless yellow wave of UDA. Mwaura’s defection is seen as a bellwether for other ambitious politicians in satellite parties who fear being locked out of the core of state power as President William Ruto moves to fold affiliates into a single, behemoth political machine ahead of his re-election bid.

• The Roysambu Battleground: Mwaura’s entry into the Roysambu race disrupts the local equation. The constituency, a densely populated Nairobi suburb, has traditionally been a hotbed of intense political competition. By securing the UDA badge early—two years to the polls—she is positioning herself as the "government project," a tag that carries immense weight in party primaries.
• The Gender Card: UDA Vice Chair Kelvin Lunani used the occasion to woo more women into the fold. "We want to assure all women aspirants that UDA will conduct free and fair nominations. Faith Mwaura is a testament that we value strong female leadership," Lunani stated, attempting to dispel the ghosts of chaotic primaries that have bedeviled major parties in the past.

Consolidating the Mountain

This defection must be viewed through the lens of President Ruto’s 2027 strategy. The President has been explicit about his desire to kill off "village parties" that fracture his support base in Central Kenya. By stripping heavyweights like Moses Kuria of their lieutenants, UDA is effectively enforcing a hostile takeover of its own coalition partners. For Mwaura, the gamble is clear: sacrifice autonomy for the machinery of the ruling party.

As the drums of 2027 begin to beat, Faith Mwaura’s move sends a stark warning to the political class: align or perish. The era of the small party is ending; the era of the mega-party is back with a vengeance.