National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has ruled out contesting the Kiambu gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Election, declaring that he will instead seek re-election as Kikuyu Member of Parliament on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.
Speaking during an interview with a local television station on Sunday, November 8, 2026, Ichung’wah dismissed speculation that he intended to challenge incumbent Governor Kimani Wamatangi for the county’s top seat, using a humorous analogy to emphasise his lack of interest in the position.
“I do not need to run for the governor’s seat, and there is no time I will be interested. I have told the people of Kiambu that the day they hear that I am vying for the Kiambu governor’s seat, they should send people to my home and ask my wife, Nyokabi, to allow them to tie me up with ropes and take me to Mathare because I cannot vie for that seat,” Ichung’wah said.
Despite ruling out a gubernatorial bid, the Kikuyu MP maintained that he would continue supporting Kiambu residents on matters falling under the county government’s responsibilities, particularly healthcare and hospital services.
“But I will always help the people of Kiambu with functions that pertain to the role, such as hospitals, as much as I can,” he stated.
Ichung’wah also indicated that he could pursue other political positions in the future, promising to inform Kiambu residents when he decides on his next political move.
“When I am done with that, I will tell the people of Kiambu the other seat that I will want to vie for,” he added.
On his immediate political ambitions, the Majority Leader was categorical that he intended to retain his parliamentary seat through the ruling party.
“I will defend my seat on UDA,” he said, appealing to residents to give him another term to continue serving the constituency.
The legislator also challenged the argument that political parties were primarily responsible for delivering development, maintaining that individual leadership and engagement with the government determined the achievements of elected representatives.
“There is no party that works for the people. It is an individual that works for the people,” Ichung’wah said.
He further questioned the extent to which political parties could claim credit for his achievements during his time as Kikuyu MP.
“We as politicians would want you to believe that it is a party that delivers for the people, but I can’t tell for a fact that over ten years that I have been a Kikuyu MP, there is nothing I have achieved because of the party.”
Ichung’wah’s decision to stay out of the gubernatorial contest removes a prominent potential challenger from what is expected to be a competitive Kiambu County election in 2027.
Governor Kimani Wamatangi, who won the seat in 2022 on a UDA ticket with 348,371 votes, is seeking re-election and has been highlighting his administration’s development record.
Polling data from September 2026 showed Wamatangi leading among Kiambu voters with 59.7 per cent support.
The governor has cited investments in early childhood education and healthcare as some of his administration’s achievements. He reported that enrolment in public Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres had increased from approximately 30,000 children in 2022 to 52,000. He also cited 26 hospital projects undertaken during his tenure.
However, Wamatangi faces competition from several political figures seeking to unseat him.
Former Kiambu Governor James Nyoro, who lost to Wamatangi in 2022, formally declared his gubernatorial bid in late October 2026.
During his announcement, Nyoro criticised the incumbent’s development record, describing it as characterised by “tokenism”, and promised to pursue industrialisation-driven development.
Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a has also joined the contest, positioning herself as a potential candidate to become Kiambu’s first female governor and promising development-focused leadership anchored on public participation.
Ichung’wah has previously dismissed suggestions that he could contest the gubernatorial seat. In April 2026, he made similar remarks during an interview with Oga Obinna.
As National Assembly Majority Leader, he remains a key ally of President William Ruto and an influential figure in UDA’s legislative agenda.
