Deputy party leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Cleophas Malala has accused President William Ruto’s administration of reviving ethnic politics and profiling the Kikuyu community ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a sharply worded statement issued Tuesday, Malala claimed senior officials in the ruling United Democratic Alliance were pushing what he described as a “dangerous tribal narrative” aimed at deflecting attention from rising public frustration over the economy and governance.
The former Kakamega senator linked the alleged ethnic profiling to tensions witnessed during the 2007/08 post-election violence, warning that Kenya risked reopening old wounds if leaders continued framing criticism of the government through ethnic lenses.
“We all know what that led Kenya into,” Malala said, referring to the violence that left more than 1,300 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Malala singled out Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar Hassan, accusing them of portraying opposition to the government as a conflict between the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities.
He argued that growing public anger against the Kenya Kwanza administration stemmed from economic hardships affecting all Kenyans, including high fuel prices, heavy taxation, poor roads, challenges in the education sector and frustrations over the Social Health Authority (SHA).
“When Kenyans come out in the streets to demonstrate about high costs of fuel, dysfunctional SHA and failed education systems, it is not Kikuyu versus Kalenjin,” Malala said. “It is about millions of Kenyans suffering.”
The remarks come at a time when political temperatures are steadily rising as factions allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua intensify criticism of President Ruto’s administration, particularly in the Mount Kenya region.
Malala also claimed the government was using ethnic rhetoric to divert public attention from the proposed Finance Bill 2026/27, which is expected to trigger fierce public debate over taxation and the cost of living.
He accused the government of “hoodwinking Kenyans” instead of addressing pressing economic concerns.
On the recent fuel price controversy, Malala faulted the government for allegedly narrowing the debate to the matatu sector while ordinary citizens, farmers and manufacturers continued to bear the burden of rising costs.
“The high fuel costs affect every Kenyan,” he said.
Malala further urged public transport operators not to raise fares following recent negotiations with the government, arguing that wananchi had not been consulted during the talks.
The statement signals a deepening political battle between allies of Gachagua and the Kenya Kwanza administration, with both sides increasingly targeting the politically influential Mount Kenya voting bloc ahead of the next election cycle.
