Why Tabitha Karanja has quit UDA for DCP

Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche is welcomed by DCP officials from Nakuru County after defecting from UDA to the party during a ceremony at her home in Karai, Naivasha. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The political rivalry between Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and Senator Tabitha Karanja is set to intensify following Karanja’s decision to ditch the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for the Democratic Congress Party (DCP), as she eyes the Nakuru gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Election.

Karanja, who serves as a deputy leader in the Senate, announced her decision to ditch UDA while addressing supporters at her home in Karai, Naivasha, saying she had consulted voters across Nakuru County before making the move.

She accused UDA of losing touch with ordinary Kenyans, citing the rising cost of living and what she termed the government's failure to fulfil promises made during the 2022 General Election.

“From today, I have ditched UDA and I will vie for Nakuru Governor’s seat on a DCP ticket, and my party leader is aware of this,” she said.

The senator also criticised President William Ruto over his handling of the economy, arguing that his remarks on milk production did not reflect the challenges facing ordinary households.

“The other day, the President was saying that the country is flooded with milk, yet in real sense there is no milk even in our supermarkets,” she said.

Karanja's defection comes amid an increasingly bitter fallout with Kihika, marking a sharp turn in the political relationship between the two leaders who campaigned together in 2022 under the Nakuru Girls banner.

Their victories had raised expectations of cooperation, but their growing political ambitions and disagreements over county leadership have strained their relationship.

Karanja has repeatedly criticised Kihika's administration over alleged poor service delivery. Her entry into the gubernatorial race is expected to intensify the contest for the county's top seat and reshape Nakuru's political landscape ahead of the next election.

During her announcement, Karanja accused the county government of failing to address deteriorating healthcare services, poor roads, pending bills and stalled development projects.

She claimed that despite receiving more than Sh26 billion annually, the county continued to grapple with shortages of medical staff and inadequate supplies in public hospitals.

“Our roads are in deplorable condition, we have tens of pending bills, stalled projects and an absent governor who is operating from abroad,” she said.

Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche after defecting from UDA to the party during a ceremony at her home in Karai, Naivasha. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The senator also faulted the county over delays in bursary disbursements and inadequate access to water and healthcare services, arguing that Nakuru needed a change of leadership.

She pledged to push for the reopening of War Memorial Hospital, which was closed under the current county administration, and raised concerns over the county government's handling of the dispute surrounding the facility.

Karanja has also accused the county administration of defying court orders in the hospital dispute.

The county government’s response to the latest accusations was not included in the remarks provided for this report.

DCP leaders in Nakuru welcomed Karanja's decision, saying it had the blessings of party leader Rigathi Gachagua.

The party's Nakuru secretary-general, Simon Nasieku, however, clarified that joining DCP did not guarantee Karanja a direct nomination for the gubernatorial ticket.

He said she would have to participate in the party's nomination process.

“The fall of UDA is here with us, and we expect more leaders to defect to DCP, which is going to be part and parcel of the next government come 2027,” Nasieku said.

Nakuru DCP chairman Joseph Kimani pledged that the party would conduct free and fair nominations ahead of the General Election.

Karanja's move comes amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 polls, with several elected leaders from Central Kenya having abandoned UDA in recent months.

The political rivalry between Karanja and Kihika has also spilled into the courts, where the governor has  sued the senator over remarks allegedly linking her to a multimillion-shilling hotel project in Nakuru.

In court papers, Kihika accuses Karanja of making false, malicious and defamatory statements during a church service in Nakuru on December 21, 2025.

According to the suit, Karanja allegedly claimed that Kihika had misappropriated public funds from the Nakuru County Government to construct a family-owned hotel reportedly worth billions of shillings.

The senator allegedly linked the development to land belonging to Kenya Railways Corporation near State House Nakuru, claiming county resources had been used on the project while residents continued to face inadequate public services.

Kihika argues that the statements were made outside Parliament and therefore do not enjoy parliamentary privilege under Article 117 of the Constitution.

In the suit filed through Ahmednasir Abdullahi Advocates LLP, the governor says the allegations portrayed her as corrupt, dishonest and unfit to hold public office.

She maintains that no investigative or oversight agency, including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) or the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), has implicated her in corruption or misuse of public funds.

Kihika further claims that the remarks were widely circulated on social media, amplifying their alleged defamatory effect.

In a supporting witness statement, she says the hotel was developed through private companies linked to her family and financed through commercial loans and private investments.

She states that Crown Freight Solutions Limited, in which she is a director alongside Samuel Mburu Kamau, leased the land from Kenya Railways Corporation in October 2023 for 45 years.

According to the governor, the project was financed through private business proceeds, shareholder equity and loans from KCB Bank Kenya Limited.

Kihika also denies that the development poses a security threat to State House Nakuru, saying no State security agency has issued such a warning or advisory.

She maintains that the project obtained the requisite planning, development, environmental and regulatory approvals, including building permits, zoning approvals and environmental impact assessments.

The governor wants the court to declare the statements false and defamatory and issue a permanent injunction restraining Karanja from publishing similar allegations.

She is also seeking a public retraction and apology, as well as general, aggravated and exemplary damages.

In her statement of defence, Karanja denies making the alleged defamatory statements and puts Kihika to strict proof.

Alternatively, she argues that, even if the remarks were made, they amounted to lawful political speech delivered in good faith in the exercise of her constitutional oversight mandate under Article 96.

The senator says her role requires her to scrutinise county expenditure, safeguard devolved resources and raise concerns affecting Nakuru residents.

“The alleged remarks constituted fair comment on matters of public interest and qualified privilege under the Defamation Act,” her defence states.

Karanja argues that the scale and location of the hotel project, together with the circumstances surrounding the land, raised legitimate questions about transparency, land allocation and possible public influence.

According to her defence, the project stands on former Kenya Railways land that had previously been occupied by members of the public before evictions and subsequent leasing arrangements.

She maintains that these circumstances justified public scrutiny, particularly given her constitutional oversight responsibilities.

The senator further argues that her remarks amounted to political criticism rather than direct accusations of criminal conduct.

“A fair-minded listener would understand the remarks as oversight questioning by a senator, not a criminal allegation,” the defence states.

Karanja also maintains that the issues she raised were already in the public domain, including the existence and location of the hotel and discussions surrounding the project.