Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula has dismissed suggestions that he is losing political clout in Western Kenya following his party’s defeat in the Chwele/Kabuchai MCA by-election.
Speaking on the night of Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during an interview with a local television station, Wetang’ula strongly challenged the narrative that the by-election outcome reflected a decline in his political influence.
He questioned the logic of using a single ward-level contest to judge his long-standing political career, noting that he has consistently won elections at the national level since the early 1990s.
“Are you telling me that my 30-plus-year career in politics was built on the seat of an MCA? I have been in Parliament since 1992, elected over and over and over,” Wetang’ula said.
He further emphasized that his political journey and legacy cannot be reduced to the outcome of one local election, insisting that his leadership role and experience extend far beyond ward politics.
“Are you telling me that my entire political career, over 30 years in Parliament, is defined by an MCA seat in Chwele/Kabuchai?” he posed.
Wetang’ula’s remarks come amid heightened political scrutiny in Western Kenya, where by-election outcomes are increasingly being interpreted as indicators of shifting political loyalties ahead of future national contests.
The Ford Kenya leader maintained that his focus remains on national leadership and long-term political engagement, rather than isolated electoral setbacks.
