Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai has demanded President Ruto fire CS Alfred Mutua from Cabinet if he fails to dissolve his Maendeleo Chap Chap party within 10 days.
Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai has called on President William Ruto to dismiss Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua from the Cabinet.
Speaking during a church service in Kitui, the legislator fired at the CS over his decision not to dissolve his party, Maendeleo Chap Chap, and join President Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA). Mbai says the standoff is threatening the unity of the Ukambani region as the country heads into the 2027 general elections.
"The President wants to unite the whole country, and those who had smaller parties that threatened the strength of the UDA Party, President Ruto urged them to fold their parties and join the broader umbrella of UDA," Mbai stated. "As the people of Ukambani, we are facing a bigger challenge because CS Mutua does not want to respect the President's wishes, and this could make it harder for us to counter our opponents in 2027. For this reason, we are asking President Ruto to fire him and replace him with another leader from this region as a lesson," he said.
The legislator argued it was unfortunate for a Cabinet Secretary appointed by President Ruto to defy what he described as the President's political direction at a time when his support was most needed, terming the move "the highest level of disobedience."
Mbai gave Mutua a 10-day ultimatum to dissolve Maendeleo Chap Chap, warning that failure to do so would amount to insubordination and justify his removal from the Cabinet.
Using an analogy, he compared the small party's disruptive effect to a bee: small, but capable of causing real trouble.
Mbai pointed to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, saying he had agreed to merge his ANC party with UDA in support of Ruto's plan to strengthen the ruling party ahead of 2027.
"If Prime Cabinet Secretary Mudavadi and Speaker Wetang'ula obeyed the President for the greater vision of the party, why should a mere Cabinet Secretary fail to do so?" Mbai posed. "We are giving him 10 days to dissolve the party. If he fails, he should resign, or the President should fire him and appoint another leader from this region to the docket," he added.
Mbai said UDA leaders in the Ukambani region had unanimously resolved that Mutua should either dissolve his party or be replaced, arguing that maintaining Maendeleo Chap Chap undermines the ruling party's efforts to expand its support in the region. He further argued that the party's continued existence gives Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper Party, the dominant political outfit in Ukambani, a strategic advantage by splitting support that could otherwise strengthen UDA.
This is not the first time Mutua has faced pressure to fold MCCP. In May, the party's National Governing Council resolved against dissolution, with Mutua citing Article 38 of the Constitution on the right to freely form and belong to political parties, while affirming the party's support for Ruto's 2027 re-election bid.
Mbai also revived the debate over the fallout between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and President Ruto, claiming that differences over political party unity were among the issues that contributed to their rift.