The FORD-Kenya party has rejected calls from within the ruling coalition urging affiliate parties to dissolve and merge into the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement on Monday, March 23, FORD-Kenya Secretary General John Chikati accused sections of UDA leadership of issuing threats that undermine the role of coalition partners.
“The FORD Kenya Party has noted with deep concern the consistent and sustained threats issued by senior leaders within the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), most recently articulated by Hon. Samson Cherargei,” the statement read.
Chikati went on to criticize the push for a single dominant party, warning that such demands are both undemocratic and dismissive of Kenya’s multiparty system.
“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,” the statement added.
The party also took issue with what it described as a narrative suggesting UDA could secure victory without the support of its coalition partners.
“It is disheartening to witness a narrative that suggests that UDA has already secured the 2027 polls without the need for its partners. This posture is a blatant dismissal of the reality of the 2022 victory. FORD Kenya, alongside other affiliate parties, played a vital and decisive role in securing the current administration’s mandate.
“To demand the dissolution of Ford Kenya now is to “bite the finger that once fed you.” It implies that affiliate parties were merely a ladder to power, to be discarded once the summit was reached,” the statement continued.
Chikati further warned against attempts to erode Kenya’s multiparty democracy, pointing to constitutional foundations that guarantee political diversity.
“The Political Parties Act of 1992 established the legal framework for a multiparty democracy that is now firmly anchored in our current Constitution. The calls for a single-party monolith are a regressive attempt to return Kenyans to the “dark days” of political stifling.
“Multipartyism allows every Kenyan to participate in the governance of their country through diverse ideologies. If anyone wishes to dismantle this constitutional pillar, they must follow the law through a referendum, rather than through coarsion or political intimidation,” the statement further read.
Chikati also questioned the motives behind the push to dissolve smaller parties, arguing that similar moves in the past have led to instability rather than unity.
“We must ask: what is the true objective of this mission to vanquish affiliate parties? If the goal was “unity,” the results speak for themselves. Since the dissolution of parties like ANC to join UDA, we have witnessed a leadership vacuum where members now claim to be “politically homeless.”
“This has led to a mass exodus of members, some joining FORD Kenya to find refuge, while others have retreated to the opposition parties. Forced mergers do not create unity; they create resentment and instability,” the statement noted.
Reaffirming the party’s position, Chikati insisted that FORD-Kenya cannot be dissolved, describing it as a historic institution that belongs to the people.
“The current leadership of FORD Kenya are merely trustees of an entity that belongs to the people of Kenya. We have no mandate, morally or legally, to fold up a party that represents the history of our liberation. FORD Kenya cannot and will not be dissolved. It can only be enhanced and protected for future generations,” the statement read.
Looking beyond the 2027 elections, the party warned that setting a precedent of dissolving parties could destabilize the country’s political future.
“We must look beyond the current electoral cycle. What will happens in 2032 when President Ruto’s term will come to an end? If we establish a precedent where parties are swallowed at the whim of the ruling elite, we jeopardize the stability of our nation. In developed democracies worldwide, parties remain as institutions while leaders come and go. That is the standard we must uphold,” the statement added.
Chikati urged coalition partners to focus on governance rather than early political maneuvering.
He also raised concerns over recent remarks by Cherargei, questioning whether they amounted to political intimidation.
“Instead of engaging in premature and divisive political realignments, we urge our coalition partners to remain focused on the promises we made to the electorate. Our energy should be spent fulfilling the pledges we made to the people of Kenya.
XIn his recent remarks Hon. Cherargei stated that leaders of political parties that will not have folded by 2027, will not be considered for appointments in the next government. Is this a threat aimed at forcing leaders to fold their Parties. Are they targeting specific individuals who hold senior positions within the government? Why are such reckless statements being made so casually?” the statement noted.
As such, FORD-Kenya rejected any suggestion that government positions should be tied to party dissolution.
“We categorically reject the threats made by Hon. Cherargei and others who suggest that positions in government are contingent upon folding our party. Governance should be based on merit and the pre-election agreements that formed this coalition, not on political blackmail,” the statement concluded.
This comes months after FORD Kenya withdrew their support for Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi’s bid for the Bungoma County governorship.
Speaking on Monday, December 29, 2025, the party’s leadership said the decision was prompted by Wanyonyi’s statement that he would not seek the seat on a FORD Kenya ticket, despite earlier indications that he would enjoy the party’s backing.
Chikati said the party was taken aback by Wanyonyi’s remarks, arguing that he had never been a member of FORD Kenya and therefore could not speak as though he was walking away from the party’s ticket.
He noted that FORD Kenya will follow its internal processes to nominate and support its own gubernatorial candidate for Bungoma County.
“We are shocked that he is saying that he is not going to vie on a FORD Kenya ticket as if he is a member of FORD Kenya. FORD Kenya is going to have its own candidate who will face nomination and from whom we are going to select who will be our governor,” he said.
On his part, Webuye East MP Martin Pepela said the MP’s conduct had crossed a line and signaled a complete breakdown in their political relationship going forward.
“My friend Tim has shown that he is not the person we thought he was. That is why we are telling Tim that he has crossed the red line; he has clearly shown that he is not a friend to us, and moving forward we are going to handle him as such,” he stated.
