Kibwezi West Member of Parliament Mwengi Mutuse addressing the Media in Kibwezi, Makueni County on April 22, 2026. Photo Courtesy. 
By Andrew Mbuva.
Kibwezi West Member of Parliament Mwengi Mutuse has issued a stern warning to rival political parties against interfering with the upcoming grassroots elections organized by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), set to take place on Thursday across the lower Eastern region.
In a statement, the MP emphasized that the polling station-level elections will be conducted in all constituencies and wards within Makueni County, Kitui County, and Machakos County, covering every polling centre gazetted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The exercise will run from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Mutuse noted that the elections are open to all registered voters within respective polling stations, regardless of party affiliation, describing the process as a demonstration of inclusivity and democratic participation.
However, he cautioned competing political formations against attempts to disrupt or meddle in the process, urging them to focus on strengthening their own internal structures instead.
“Political parties must respect each other’s space. No one can win the presidency by confining their party to a single region,” Mutuse said, adding that parties should emulate UDA’s national outreach instead of engaging in what he termed as “unnecessary mudslinging.”
The legislator framed the grassroots polls as a key pillar in entrenching the party’s bottom-up governance model, asserting that the exercise reflects UDA’s commitment to empowering citizens at the lowest levels of political organization.
He called on residents of Kibwezi West and the wider region—including women, youth, professionals, farmers, and small-scale traders—to turn out in large numbers and elect leaders of their choice at the polling station level.
According to Mutuse, the outcome of the exercise will lay the foundation for subsequent elections at ward, constituency, county, and national levels, further strengthening the party’s structures ahead of future political contests.
The MP maintained that safeguarding the integrity of the grassroots elections is crucial, reiterating that any interference would undermine democratic principles and the will of the people.
