Political temperatures have flared in Kitui after the Wiper Democratic Movement expelled two young nominated Members of County Assembly (MCAs) for associating with the national government and attending Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki’s empowerment events.
According to a letter seen by the media, Wiper accused the two MCAs — Fastina Mwende Solomon Salu and Jacquelyne Cate Kalenga — of violating party loyalty by defying disciplinary directives and opting to escalate the matter to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), which dismissed their complaint on June 11, 2025.
The party claims that after their appeal to the National Executive Council (NEC) was initially allowed on condition that they pay a Kshs. 300,000 fine, the two failed to comply. A subsequent NEC meeting on June 19 directed that the duo be expelled if they failed to pay the fine within seven days. That deadline elapsed on June 30 without payment or response from the MCAs.
But in a dramatic twist, the embattled MCAs swiftly moved to the High Court in Kitui to challenge their expulsion. In case number HCCA/E040/2025, the High Court issued interim orders on July 2, 2025, staying the expulsion for 14 days pending the hearing of the matter.
The ruling by Lady Justice Lucy Gitari directed that the application be treated as urgent and served within three days, with responses to be filed in five days. The matter is to be scheduled for hearing within 14 days.
The unfolding drama has exposed deep cracks within the Wiper party and signaled potential legal and political showdowns ahead of the 2027 elections. The young MCAs, seen as a new wave of leaders engaging nationally, are now caught in the crossfire between party loyalty and political independence.
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