Also known as: Kangata · Governor Irungu Kang'ata · Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata · Governor Kang'ata
Murang'a County Governor who defected from UDA to join the DCP, ranked highly in county performance surveys, and supports the Linda Mwananchi movement.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
Audio By VocalizeMurang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has declared he will not defend his seat on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in 2027, warning that the party is repeating the persecution tactics that once swept it to power. …
Irungu Kang'ata ditches UDAMurang'a County Governor Irungu Kang'ata has condemned violence against the Linda Mwananchi team in Homa Bay on Sunday, accusing the State of outsourcing violence to civilians and giving them immunity, which he likens to rejected practices from the 1990s and the 2007 post-election crisis.
17 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Murang'a County Governor Irungu Kang'ata has condemned violence against the Linda Mwananchi team in Homa Bay on Sunday, accusing the State of outsourcing violence to civilians and giving them immunity, which he likens to rejected practices from the 1990s and the 2007 post-election crisis.
17 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
PNU leader Peter Munya has escalated a dispute with DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua, accusing the former Deputy President of bullying and a confrontational style that risks undermining opposition unity efforts ahead of the 2027 General Election. The disagreement centres on the structure and leadership of the opposition coalition, with Munya insisting political leaders must treat each other with respect rather than issue ultimatums.
6 August 2026 · The Standard →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata scored 80 per cent in an Infotrak survey examining devolved county performance across sectors, ranking ahead of Trans Nzoia's George Natembeya at 76 per cent and Kiambu's Kimani Wamatangi at 71 per cent.
4 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha has defected from the ruling UDA to join the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) led by Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, along with the entire Nyandarua County Assembly leadership. Gachagua said the group has committed to defending their seats on DCP tickets and will participate in the party's nomination exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election.
29 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha has officially joined the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), citing the wishes of his constituents to leave the ruling UDA party. He said he will seek re-election on the DCP ticket in 2027.
29 July 2026 · The Standard →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has left the ruling UDA party to join former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP). The move comes one week after Kang'ata initially switched to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi party.
24 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata announced he will seek re-election in 2027 on the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) ticket, months after leaving the ruling UDA party over what he described as political strategy and policy priorities. The governor said he would defend his seat using the DCP ticket while maintaining ties with the Linda Mwananchi movement and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's team.
24 July 2026 · The Standard →
Juma Abdallah, a veteran football coach who shaped several Kenyan clubs and generations of players, has died after a prolonged illness involving diabetes, pancreatic disease, and kidney dysfunction. He coached AFC Leopards, Murang'a SEAL, Thika United, KCB FC, Bidco United, Western Stima, Chemelil Sugar and Vihiga Bullets during his decades-long career.
24 July 2026 · The Standard →
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has vowed to crack down on political goons and criminal gangs in Western region, directing county security teams to target groups he linked to political violence and local trade crimes, citing incidents in Kakamega County and a fatal clash at a Matungu burial ceremony.
20 July 2026 · The Standard →
More than 37,000 coffee farmers in Murang'a County received free agricultural lime under a county programme to restore soil health and boost yields. The county distributed 495,850 kilograms of lime targeting nearly two million coffee trees, with the governor expecting an additional 3,966,800 kilograms of coffee during the 2026/2027 season.
20 July 2026 · The Standard →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata says the UDA's defeat in the Ol Kalou by-election—where DCP's Kamau Ngotho won with 35,440 votes against UDA's Samuel Muchina's 5,450—mirrors Jubilee's mistakes, including the use of violence during elections and mistreatment of senior party leaders.
17 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has drawn comparisons between the Ol Kalou by-election outcome—where Democracy for the Citizens Party's Kamau Ngotho won with 35,440 votes against United Democratic Alliance's Samuel Muchina's 5,450—and the shortcomings that befell Jubilee Party in the 2022 General Election, attributing UDA's loss to violence and mistreatment of leaders similar to Jubilee's past conduct.
17 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An opinion piece argues that President Ruto will face harsh historical judgment if the "goons menace" is not decisively addressed, comparing Kenya's gang problem to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein tale of creation turned destructive.
14 July 2026 · The Standard →
A Standard opinion piece argues that Kenya's police commissioner should be removed, citing recent incidents of violence—including the shooting of a governor's driver, attacks on opposition rallies, and alleged police complicity or inaction during demonstrations by armed groups and goons.
14 July 2026 · The Standard →
Violence broke out in Nyandarua County, Kisumu, and Nyahururu during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election campaign, with Linda Mwananchi movement leaders saying they faced a coordinated government-orchestrated crackdown. The incident, including a shooting of Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata's driver during a rally, reflects deepening political tensions ahead of the 2027 General Election.
13 July 2026 · The Standard →
Political violence broke out during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election campaign in multiple parts of the country, with Linda Mwananchi movement leaders describing it as a coordinated government-orchestrated crackdown. A driver was shot during rally activities in Nyahururu, and the incidents have raised concerns about potential escalation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
13 July 2026 · The Standard →
Allies of President William Ruto have accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of promoting divisive politics after he urged Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata, the Linda Mwananchi movement, and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna to stay away from Ol Kalou campaigns.
13 July 2026 · The Standard →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata's driver was shot in the chest during a Linda Mwananchi tour in Nyandarua and Laikipia counties on Sunday. The governor said his group was stoned at an AIPCA church and his driver shot by police, with the bullet lodged in the driver's chest, and his car blocked and confiscated by goons in Laikipia.
12 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata alleged that his driver was shot during a Linda Mwananchi political rally in Nyahururu on Sunday, sustaining a gunshot wound to his chest. The extent of the injury and whether the projectile is a live bullet or rubber bullet remain under assessment, as police had not issued an official statement at the time of publication.
12 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Edwin Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi Movement cancelled plans to hold rallies in Ol Kalou Constituency this weekend, instead convening a meeting in Nyahururu Town on Sunday. Analysts suggest the former deputy president believes Kangata is attempting to popularise Sifuna in his Mt Kenya stronghold.
11 July 2026 · The Standard →
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said political positions are bestowed by Kenyans, not party leaders, dismissing speculation about his future in ODM and suggestions that losing party positions would end his political career.
4 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Leaders of the Linda Mwananchi movement, including Senator Edwin Sifuna and other opposition figures, dismissed claims they are splitting the opposition vote, saying they are committed to a united challenge against President William Ruto's re-election. During a tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties, they also criticised the government over abductions, arbitrary arrests, and killings of young people.
3 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata says the Linda Mwananchi movement, led by Senators Edwin Sifuna and James Orengo and MP Babu Owino, is the only political faction capable of liberating Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election and uniting the country through institutions that serve all Kenyans.
3 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has announced his decision to join the Linda Mwananchi movement, describing it as a platform that unites Kenyans from diverse political backgrounds and aligns with ordinary citizens' wishes rather than personal interests.
17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata joined the Linda Mwananchi opposition brigade at a rally in Thika, Kiambu County, where leaders attacked President William Ruto's administration and declared his days in office numbered. The rally was briefly interrupted by rowdy youths but continued despite the disruption.
14 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Muranga Governor Irungu Kang'ata joined the Linda Mwananchi movement at a rally in Thika, criticising the government's affordable housing programme and calling for funds to be redirected to free education. The movement said it will work with the United Opposition to contest the 2027 general election.
14 June 2026 · The Standard →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata vowed to continue speaking the truth and said he is unafraid of intimidation following his recent exit from the UDA Party, citing police intimidation and malicious damage of properties used against political opponents.
12 May 2026 · The Standard →
President William Ruto has pledged to personally pay for the construction of 30 new classrooms and six laboratories at Njiiri School in Murang'a County to decongest the institution, which currently has 2,100 students. He also directed the Lands Cabinet Secretary to facilitate construction of a 1,000-student dormitory at a cost of Sh100 million and promised the Ministry of Education will allocate Sh70 million for an administration block.
4 May 2026 · The Standard →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has said that President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance party faces a "catastrophic defeat" in the region in the 2027 General Election, citing political shifts and loss of support despite previous efforts to align political strategies with the President.
3 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata announced he will not seek re-election on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in 2027, citing instances of confrontation and tension that conflict with his principles, though he has long partnered with UDA leader President William Ruto.
3 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →