“I will go by the political party you show me,” Wamatangi told residents in remarks reported by The Star on 7th May 2026.
The statement has attracted political attention because Wamatangi won the Kiambu governorship in 2022 using the UDA ticket after securing 348,371 votes against six rivals, among them former governors William Kabogo and James Nyoro.
His latest remarks now suggest he could abandon UDA if voters in Kiambu choose a different political direction ahead of 2027.
His comments also come at a time when UDA is facing growing political pressure in the Mt Kenya region, where several leaders have recently shown signs of distancing themselves from the ruling party.
Even with the political uncertainty, Wamatangi’s development record remains one of his strongest selling points. The Timely Kenya 2026 Governors Scorecard ranked him as the second best governor in the country with a score of 75.1 percent.
The ranking looked at performance in sectors such as water, health, roads, education and agriculture.
The governor has repeatedly insisted that his main focus is completing the promises he made to Kiambu residents during the 2022 campaigns. He has also accused critics of dragging him into early politics to distract him from service delivery.
At the same time, the race for the Kiambu governor seat is becoming more competitive.
A recent Kenya Track Survey placed Patrick Wainaina, popularly known as Jungle, ahead in the 2027 race with 67.5 percent support, while Wamatangi followed closely with a 65 percent approval rating.
Economist Bonnie Mwangi has also declared interest in the seat through the People’s Liberation Party, accusing the county government of spending too much money on salaries and travel instead of improving services.
Meanwhile, Kabogo, who is currently serving in President William Ruto’s government as a Cabinet Secretary, is also being linked with a possible political comeback in Kiambu in 2027.
With more candidates preparing for the race and political alliances in Mt Kenya continuing to shift, Wamatangi’s decision to leave his party options open could become one of the biggest political talking points in Kiambu ahead of the next election.
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