Budalang’i MP Raphael Wanjala has warned President William Ruto against attempting to purchase loyalty in the Mt Kenya region.
During an interview on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, with a local TV station, Wanjala cautioned the government that winning the Mbeere North by-election would not be straightforward, even with the distribution of government incentives.
He drew a comparison between the past and the late President Daniel arap Moi’s experience in the 1994 Kipipiri by-election, pointing out that the strategy had failed then and may still fail now.
Wanjala stated that the government frequently employs various routes to attempt to secure a victory.
The government has a foolproof method to ensure it has won in several ways. He noted that goodies are given to people to influence their voting behaviour, implying that state resources are sometimes used to sway voters during by-elections.
He warned that a by-election cannot be equated with a general election because of unpredictable political circumstances.
“Sometimes, a byelection may not happen because of the upcoming general election, which poses many predicaments,” he said.
Wanjala also discussed voting patterns in the Mt Kenya region, pointing out that many outsiders misinterpret the area’s political dynamics.
“He noted that, for instance, Kikuyu people know that we do not distinguish between Kikuyu and Kikuyu,” pointing out that people often group communities together without understanding local realities.
Wanjala revisits the 1994 Kipipiri by-election.
He remembered the 1994 Kipipiri by-election, where the Leader of the Majority was in charge, stating that despite significant state intervention, the results did not benefit the government.
“In another year here in Kiambu, there was a byelection… We saw Moi going there with power generators but he still failed, we saw them carrying those generators back,” Wanjala stated.
The MP stated that voters in the Mt Kenya region are not easily influenced by material giveaways.
“He said, ‘I believe that the Kikuyu are hard to win over because we believe they are capable people,’ and that the government could still lose even after distributing many items.”
He concluded by emphasizing that although the government may try to sway the results of the upcoming Mbeere North mini poll, the ultimate outcome will still be determined by the people’s will.
“The government can be equipped with many things and still not be fully satisfied,” he said.
