Embu Senator Mundigi Moves to Court to Fight DP Expulsion Over UDA Support

Embu Senator Alexander Munyi Mundigi has disputed the decision by the Democratic Party (DP) to expel him following his move to campaign for a UDA candidate, Leonard Wamuthendein, in the recently concluded Mbeere North Constituency by-elections.

In his response to the letter to eject him from the party, Mundigi has stated that he will not stop supporting the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, of which DP is a member.

He states that DP’s top organs are yet to meet to sanction its decision to cease being a member of the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition under the stewardship of President William Ruto.

The communication for his removal from the party was relayed to his personal assistant (PA) while he was away for an official duty in Uganda.

His PA received the letter requiring him to explain why he did not support the DP Candidate for the hotly contested Mbeere North by-election.

The party’s Secretary General, Dr Jacob Haji called him while he (Mundigi) was in Uganda and asked him to tender an explanation for campaigning and supporting the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate.

Dr Haji informed that his action amounted to gross misconduct, which beckoned an expulsion from the party.

During the hotly contested parliamentary poll, Muthende of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of President William Ruto won against DP’s candidate Newton Kariuki.

Muthende garnered 15,802 votes against Kariuki’s 15,308.
Following the defeat, the party wrote to Senator Mundigi informing him that he would be expelled from the party for supporting and ascribing to the policies of a rival party, UDA.

The party cited that it would expel the DP Senator for gross misconduct and breach of the party rules under Section 148 of the Political Parties Act.

“You have continued to publicly support activities, positions, and events associated with Kenya Kwanza Coalition (KK), notwithstanding the Democratic Party’s withdrawal from the coalition and contrary to the party directives requiring all members to act in alignment with the Democratic Party resolutions,” Mundigi was informed by Dr Haji.

He was further informed that, Pursuant to Article 8, Section b, (iv) of the Democratic Party Constitution, a member shall be deemed to have resigned from the party or be subjected to disciplinary action if they:-

(i) form another party, join in the formation of another party, or campaign for another political party;
(ii) advocate for or promote the ideology, interests, or policies of another political party contrary to the law or party policy,
(iii) contravenes the aims, policies, and or objectives of the DP.

Through that communique, Mundigi was therefore asked to immediately cease all activities, endorsements, and public statements contradicting DP official positions.

Mundigi was required to renounce his association with the Kenya Kwanza Coalition within 72 hours and restate his loyalty and commitment to DP on whose ticket he was elected during the August 2022 general elections; failure to do so shall result in disciplinary action taken against him.

Responding to the expulsion threat, Mundigi, through his lawyer Danstan Omari, has stated that he does not contravene any known laws of the DP since it is still in the KK coalition.

“Subject to Articles 9 and 10 of the Party’s Constitution and by-laws, the top organs, to the National Delegates Committee (NDC) and the National Governing Council, have to call for a meeting and pass a resolution to formally exit a coalition government, in which they were in a coalition with the larger Kenya Kwanza,” states Mundigi.

He, however, adds that on March 12, 2025, the party leader Justin Muturi, politically exited the KK coalition and “presumably the party ceased working  with and under the memorandum of understanding they had before the 2022 general elections at the formation of the said coalition of political parties.”

Mundigi, who is the deputy leader of DP, has stated that he has been remitting KSh10,000 monthly to the party.

He added that he and Cabinet Secretary Public Service Geoffrey Ruku were the only elected leaders on a DP ticket who have been remitting the KSh10,000 to the party plus three MCAs.

Ruku has since stopped remitting after he was elevated to the cabinet.

Mundigi has sought the intervention of the Political Parties Tribunal to avert an imminent move to remove him from the party.