The Ford Kenya party, led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, has firmly rejected calls for it to dissolve and merge with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), warning that such demands threaten Kenya’s multiparty democracy.
In a statement released on Monday, March 23, Ford Kenya Secretary General John Chikati dismissed the proposal and accused some UDA leaders of pushing an agenda aimed at collapsing smaller affiliate parties within the Kenya Kwanza Alliance ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Chikati singled out remarks by Nandi senator Samson Cherargei, who recently warned smaller coalition partners to dissolve and fold into UDA.
RELATED – Cherargei Warns Kenya Kwanza Parties: Refuse UDA Merger, Lose Cabinet and Parliamentary Roles
According to Chikati, such statements undermine the spirit of coalition politics that helped bring the current administration to power.
“The FORD Kenya Party has noted with deep concern the consistent and sustained threats issued by senior leaders within UDA. These utterances, demanding that affiliate parties within the Kenya Kwanza administration should fold up and join UDA ahead of the 2027 General Elections, are not only outrageous but a direct affront to the democratic fabric of our nation,” read part of the statement.
“FORD Kenya cannot and will not be dissolved. It can only be enhanced and protected for future generations,” it added.
Ford Kenya Defends Role in 2022 Victory
Chikati said the narrative that smaller coalition partners should now fold into the UDA ignores the reality of how the ruling alliance won power during the 2022 Kenyan General Election.
He argued that Ford Kenya and other affiliate parties played a decisive role in securing the coalition’s electoral victory and accused some leaders within the ruling party of behaving as though they could have achieved that win alone.
“This narrative is a blatant dismissal of reality. Ford Kenya, alongside other affiliate parties, played a vital and decisive role in securing the current administration’s mandate,” he said.
Chikati compared the push to dissolve affiliate parties to “biting the finger that once fed you,” claiming that some leaders appear to treat coalition partners as disposable political tools.
Warning Against Return to One-Party Dominance
Ford Kenya also warned that forcing smaller parties to merge into a single dominant party risks undoing decades of political progress since Kenya embraced multiparty democracy in the early 1990s.
According to Chikati, dismantling the multiparty system would require constitutional steps and could even demand a national referendum.
“The calls for a single-party monolith are a regressive attempt to return Kenyans to the dark days of political stifling. Multipartyism allows citizens to participate in governance through diverse ideologies,” Chikati said.
Coalition Tensions Surface
The party further pointed to what it described as contradictions within the ruling coalition. While some leaders advocate dissolving smaller parties, others are reportedly building new political alliances with opposition figures.
Ford Kenya also referenced the fallout following the dissolution of parties such as the Amani National Congress (ANC) into UDA, arguing that such mergers have left many members feeling politically displaced.
According to the party, several politicians now find themselves without a clear political home, a situation that has triggered defections and internal instability.
“Forced mergers do not create unity; they create resentment and instability,” Chikati said.
Party Vows to Protect Its Identity
Ford Kenya insisted that its leadership holds the party in trust for the Kenyan people and therefore lacks the moral or legal authority to dissolve it. The party also warned that allowing ruling elites to absorb smaller parties at will could destabilize Kenya’s political future.
“If we establish a precedent where parties are swallowed at the whim of the ruling elite, we jeopardise the stability of our nation,” the statement read.
Despite the tensions, Ford Kenya reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the government led by President William Ruto. However, the party urged coalition leaders to focus on delivering development and fulfilling campaign promises instead of pushing premature political realignments ahead of the next election cycle.
“Governance should be based on merit and pre-election agreements, not political blackmail,” Chikati said, adding that the party remains steadfast in defending its identity and constitutional rights.
