Bungoma politics heats up as Didmus breaks ranks with Wetang'ula

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has withdrawn his political support for National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, accusing him of reprimanding him for criticising his younger brother, Tim Wanyonyi, who is his political rival in the race for Bungoma governor.

Barasa said Wetang’ula appeared displeased whenever he politically challenged Wanyonyi, interpreting his criticism as a personal attack on the family rather than legitimate political competition.

The fallout has prompted Barasa to distance himself from the Speaker as he prepares to contest the Bungoma governorship on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, while maintaining his support for President William Ruto’s re-election in 2027.

“Whenever I met my opponent's brother, he would appear to reprimand me for politically engaging his brother, and misconstrue it as a personal attack on his family,” Barasa said.

In a statement announcing his decision, Barasa said the move followed wide consultations and was driven by differences over local leadership, political loyalties and the future of Bungoma.

He insisted that the decision was not motivated by personal animosity but by the need to protect his political base and pursue a different vision for the county.

“I fully appreciate that his relationship with his brother transcends the realm of politics. Blood is thicker than water. Family solidarity takes precedence, and that is both human and understandable,” he said.

However, Barasa argued that Wetang’ula’s relationship with Wanyonyi had created a conflict of interest, claiming the Speaker could not effectively associate with him while Ford Kenya’s grassroots structures remained aligned with his political rival.

“The growing perception that Rt. Hon. Wetang’ula is tacitly supporting his brother, 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 said.

Barasa also claimed that some Ford Kenya leaders, including Members of County Assemblies, were demonstrating divided loyalties, arguing that their political activities raised questions about their commitment to the broad-based government.

He maintained that his disagreement with Wetang’ula was limited to county politics and would not affect his support for Ruto’s re-election.

“Rt. Hon. Moses Wetang’ula and I share the same horizon in President William Ruto. At the national level, our destination is convergent. But in Bungoma, our political philosophy and local vision are divergent,” Barasa said.

The Kimilili MP said the two differed on how Bungoma should be governed, how leaders should be selected and how the county should negotiate for development opportunities from the national government.

He accused Wetang’ula of promoting political succession based on personal loyalty and family interests rather than merit and the wishes of voters.

“Bungoma is not a monarchy. It is a democracy premised on merit, competition, and the sovereign will of the people, not hereditary succession,” he said.

Barasa called on Wetang’ula to retire from Bungoma politics after more than three decades in public leadership, arguing that the county needed a new generation of leaders to negotiate directly with the national government.

He questioned the benefits Bungoma had secured under Wetang’ula’s leadership, alleging that opportunities arising from political negotiations had disproportionately benefited the Speaker’s close family associates.

Barasa cited a memorandum of understanding signed by Wetang’ula relating to a 30 per cent share of government opportunities, claiming the arrangement had been poorly managed and that benefits had not been distributed equitably.

“While he was the custodian of the 30 per cent in line with the MOU he signed, he appropriated and distributed it predominantly to his close family members, and the remainder to other parts of the country under the guise that his party was national,” he said.

Barasa said distancing himself from Wetang’ula would allow him to campaign freely against Wanyonyi without the risk of his criticism being interpreted as an attack on the Speaker’s family.

He maintained that his engagement with Wanyonyi was strictly political and that the contest should be judged on leadership records, ideas and the ability to deliver for Bungoma residents.

The MP announced plans to intensify grassroots mobilisation across the county, build political networks in villages and forge alliances with elected leaders and members of other parties who share his vision.

He said he would seek to work with like-minded leaders, including members of Ford Kenya, arguing that Bungoma needed a strong negotiating bloc capable of engaging Ruto’s administration directly.

“I remain firmly and unequivocally committed to H.E. President William Ruto and the Broad-Based Government agenda,” Barasa said.

The political realignment comes as leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election, with Barasa seeking the Bungoma governorship on a UDA ticket while challenging Wetang’ula’s influence over the county’s political direction.

“We must part ways, not because the national vision divided us, but because the local vision did. Not out of bitterness, but out of principle, doctrinal consistency, and clarity of purpose,” he said.