Lamu Woman Representative Muthoni Marubu has withdrawn her intention to join the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In letter dated Tuesday, August 11, she cited political sabotage and an increasingly toxic relationship with Lamu Governor and UDA Deputy Party Leader Issa Timamy.
In the letter, Marubu accused the governor of attempting to undermine grassroots mobilisation efforts she undertook in Lamu County after President William Ruto asked her to help build UDA's support in the region.
She said she had remained an independent Member of Parliament after winning her seat on an independent ticket but committed herself to mobilising for UDA at the president's request.
"Early this year, when the President asked me to mobilise UDA in Lamu, I was - and remain - an independently elected Member of Parliament, having won my mandate on an Independent ticket. Nevertheless, at his request, I committed myself fully to building the Party in Lamu. I reached out to you six times; you neither answered nor returned my calls, and you organised not a single grassroots mobilisation meeting," she wrote.
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Marubu claimed that the UDA grassroots elections were won overwhelmingly after Timamy allegedly attempted to stop the exercise, arguing that subsequent efforts to have the elections repeated were politically motivated.
"When elections came, you were ill-prepared and attempted to have them stopped. The UDA Elections Board declined, the elections proceeded, and we won overwhelmingly.
"Having failed at the grassroots, you then sought to use your undeserved position in the Party to reverse a democratic process simply because its outcome did not favour your politics of ethnic exclusion," she added.
Marubu also raised concerns about questions surrounding equitable representation and inclusion in Lamu County under Timamy's administration.
She cited public appointments, the replacement of the late Deputy Governor, the condition of Mpeketoni Hospital and alleged attempts to evict farmers from their land.
"More troublingly, a number of decisions under your administration have raised legitimate questions about equitable representation and inclusion - including the composition of public appointments, the replacement of your late Deputy Governor despite the political balance upon which your coalition was elected, the extreme deterioration and near-total collapse of Mpeketoni Hospital, which predominantly serves the Kikuyu community, and repeated efforts to evict farmers from their land," she further said.
Marubu further accused Timamy of attempting to exclude some residents from meaningful participation in government and vowed to continue lobbying for equitable inclusion and access to government services.
"Because I am a politician, Governor, I understand what this is: an attempt to exclude some of us from meaningful participation in Government. Sorry to disappoint you. You will find us lobbying Government even harder for equitable inclusion and ensuring that every resident of Lamu, irrespective of ethnicity, receives the Government services and constitutional protections to which they are entitled - most importantly, protection from 'Al-Shabaab attacks'," she claimed.
Marubu said the dispute over the UDA grassroots elections had convinced her that her political relationship with the party was no longer sustainable.
"With regard to UDA, these grassroots elections have made one reality painfully clear: this political relationship is irredeemably toxic," she declared.
According to Marubu, her decision was also influenced by continued use of party machinery to challenge the outcome of grassroots elections.
"By virtue of your position as “Deputy Party Leader,” the Party machinery will evidently continue being deployed to save your face, irrespective of the work we put in or the verdict delivered by the grassroots. We can win elections, but apparently we must keep repeating them until you do. I will not subject myself or my supporters to such a political charade," she stated.
Marubu withdrew her plan to join UDA and said she, her team and political allies would no longer participate in the party's mobilisation activities, grassroots elections or other party engagements.
"I was independently elected and had intended to join UDA ahead of 2027. That intention is hereby withdrawn. Neither I, my team nor my political allies will participate in further UDA mobilisation, grassroots elections or Party activities.
"In your capacity as 'Deputy Party Leader,' kindly consider my political engagement with UDA formally and conclusively ended," she added.
Marubu also asked that the aspirants she said she had mobilised and registered for the party be removed from the UDA register, challenging the party leadership to conduct its own grassroots mobilisation.
"Finally, having spent three months mobilising and registering the aspirants currently reflected in the Party register, kindly deregister them and return to the grassroots to undertake your own mobilisation," she concluded.
This comes months after Marubu announced that she will vie for the Lamu senatorial seat in the 2027 General Election.
In a statement on Monday, January 26, Marubu reflected on her political journey, recalling her entry into elective politics and the support she received from Lamu residents during the last election.
"During the 2022 General Election, I offered myself for the position of Women Representative as an Independent candidate. I remain deeply grateful to the people of Lamu County for the trust they placed in me and for the honour of their overwhelming support," she said.
Marubu explained that her decision not to seek re-election as Woman Representative is guided by the constitutional intent of the seat as an affirmative action position.
"The Office of the Woman Representative is, by design, an affirmative action position, meant to open doors, build capacity, and prepare women for broader leadership. I have embraced this responsibility fully and served with that understanding at heart," she added.
