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Member of Parliament, Mbeere North
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Leo Muthende (full name Leonard Muriuki Njeru / Leonard Muriuki wa Muthende) is the newly elected Member of Parliament for Mbeere North Constituency in Embu County. He clinched the seat in the 27 November 2025 by-election, polling 15,802 votes to narrowly defeat Newton Kariuki (Karish) of the Democratic Party, who garnered just over 15,300 votes in a fiercely contested race. The by-election followed the elevation of former MP Geoffrey Ruku to the Cabinet as CS for Public Service, making the poll a high-stakes test of UDA’s strength in the region. Popularly known as “Leo wa Muthende”, he is a businessman-turned-politician from Kianthawa village in Nthawa Ward, Mbeere North, with deep grassroots networks and a reputation as a hands-on mobiliser for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). His victory came after UDA settled on him by consensus—seven other aspirants stepped down—allowing the party to run a unified campaign fronted by senior figures such as Deputy President Kithure Kindiki. He was sworn into the National Assembly in early December 2025, pledging to focus on “service, progress and real impact” for Mbeere North.
Elected MP for Mbeere North (2025): Won the November 27, 2025 by-election with 15,802 votes, giving UDA a high-profile victory in a race widely framed as a litmus test for President Ruto’s coalition.
Unified UDA flag-bearer: Chosen as the sole UDA candidate after seven aspirants stepped down in his favour, a move praised by party leadership as a show of unity and political maturity.
KNH oxygen plant scandal: His company Biomax Africa Limited was cited by the EACC in a report on an alleged KSh 643 million procurement fraud involving an oxygen generation plant at Kenyatta National Hospital—allegations that include claims of forged documents and underperforming equipment.
Calls for arrest and prosecution: The EACC report forwarded to the DPP in June 2025 reportedly recommended charges against Wamuthende and several officials for procurement irregularities and abuse of office; as of now, the matter remains under prosecutorial and judicial consideration.
Election petition: Following his narrow victory, petitioners moved to court seeking nullification of his election as Mbeere North MP, alleging irregularities in the by-election; the Chief Justice has already appointed a judge to hear the case.
News articles featuring Leo Muthende
Business footprint in health sector: Built a portfolio of medical and pharmaceutical businesses, including companies dealing in hospital equipment and systems, positioning himself as a private-sector player in healthcare before entering Parliament.
Persistent political actor: Previously contested the Embu gubernatorial seat in 2017, later backing Geoffrey Ruku for Mbeere North MP and William Ruto for president in 2022, showing long-term engagement in county and national politics.
Public debate over integrity vs. mandate: Commentaries and profiles have questioned how a candidate under active EACC scrutiny was cleared to run and subsequently elected, fuelling an ongoing national debate about the enforcement of Chapter Six (Leadership and Integrity) versus the will of voters in by-elections.
