Kenyan Senator Claims State Offered Millions to Form Fake Opposition Party

2026-10-12 region

Nairobi, 12 October 2026
Nyandarua Senator John Methu claims government operatives offered him 10 million Kenyan shillings weekly to form a pseudo-opposition party, aiming to split regional votes ahead of the 2027 election.

A Strategic Proposal to Fragment Mt Kenya Votes

In a broadcast on Sunday night, Nyandarua Senator John Methu revealed details of an alleged state-led initiative designed to fracture opposition unity in the politically decisive Mt Kenya region [1][3]. Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on 12 October 2026, Methu disclosed that a government-aligned operative approached him following the victory of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate, Sammy Kamau Ngotho, in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election on 16 July 2026 [1][3]. The strategy allegedly aimed to entice Methu away from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s political sphere by offering to establish and fund a brand-new political outfit on his behalf [3].

Allegations of Betrayal and Regional Division

Methu recounted that prior to turning down the offer, he sought advice from Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro during a meeting at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi [3][6]. At the time, Nyoro cautioned him against forming a separate political party, describing the offer as a classic “divide-and-rule” maneuver by President Ruto to weaken Mt Kenya’s collective voting leverage [3][6]. Methu claimed that Nyoro initially pledged to join the DCP under Gachagua’s leadership to preserve regional solidarity [6].

Opposition Alliances and Dismissal of Foreign Funding Claims

Beyond regional dynamics, Senator Methu commended Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) leader Kalonzo Musyoka for his steadfast political loyalty, specifically citing Musyoka’s opposition to the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in 2024 [1]. Methu noted that Musyoka stood by Gachagua at a juncture when few politicians were willing to associate with him publicly [1].

Bronnen

Kenyan politics Opposition parties