Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa Withdraws Support for Speaker Moses Wetang’ula

On Monday October 26, 2026, Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa announced that he would no longer back National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula in Bungoma County politics.

Barasa said the move followed extensive reflection and consultation and was motivated by a desire to see Wetang’ula step aside after more than thirty years of leadership, rather than by any personal grievance.

In his statement Barasa asserted, “Leadership demands ideological coherence and strategic clarity. The growing perception that Rt. Hon. Wetang’ula is tacitly supporting his brother, Hon. Tim Wanyonyi, and the opposition formation to which he is aligned, while publicly standing with the President at the national level, constitutes a serious conflict of interest and a case of dual political allegiance.”

He further explained that Wetang’ula’s alleged support for President William Ruto at the national level conflicted with his perceived backing of his brother, Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, and an opposition-aligned camp in Bungoma, creating uncertainty about the Speaker’s political loyalty.

Barasa also claimed that the grassroots structures of FORD-Kenya in Bungoma operated as extensions of Tim Wanyonyi’s political network with Wetang’ula’s implicit approval, and warned that continued association could erode his own support base.

Emphasising his commitment to the broad-based government, Barasa declared, “I remain firmly and unequivocally committed to H.E. President William Ruto and the Broad-Based Government agenda. Henceforth, I will concentrate on consolidating the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the political vehicle I will deploy in my bid to be elected Governor of Bungoma next year.”

He added that he would seek alliances with elected leaders and members of FORD-Kenya who share his opposition to hereditary politics, noting that “Bungoma is not a monarchy. It is a democracy premised on merit, competition, and the sovereign will of the people, not hereditary succession.”

Barasa also alleged that resources allocated under a memorandum of understanding granting a 30 percent share were largely distributed to Wetang’ula’s close family members, describing the arrangement as mismanagement.