Senate Speaker Amason Kingi Speaking during a meeting with UDA aspirants in Ganze Sub County, Kilifi County. Photo by Ben Okweingoti 
By Ben Okweingoti
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has broken his silence on the dissolution of the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), revealing that the decision to fold the party and join the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) was driven by a strategic agreement with President William Ruto.
Speaking during a meeting with UDA aspirants in Ganze Sub County, Kilifi County, Kingi—who previously served as Kilifi Governor—said the move followed assurances from the President that PAA’s manifesto would be incorporated into UDA’s development agenda.
Kingi acknowledged that the decision initially unsettled some of his supporters, particularly as it was made without wide consultation. However, he explained that discussions with the Head of State were aimed at consolidating political strength in the region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He cited the closely contested Magarini parliamentary race in the 2022 elections as a key lesson, noting that a split vote between UDA and PAA candidates handed victory to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate by a narrow margin of 21 votes.
According to Kingi, President Ruto used the Magarini outcome as a case study, urging leaders to avoid fragmented political alignments in future elections.
Kingi said that during a State House meeting attended by several regional leaders—including Aisha Jumwa, Lucas Maitha, George Kithi and Kenneth Kazungu—the President assured them that PAA’s political and economic vision would not be lost under the merger.
“PAA was not just a name but a vehicle for economic and political liberation. We sought clarity on how its aspirations would be safeguarded, and upon receiving assurances, we resolved to fold the party and join UDA,” Kingi said.
He added that all former PAA aspirants would now contest their seats under the UDA ticket in the 2027 elections.
Kingi also lauded Ganze constituents for their strong support of PAA in the last election, where the party secured the parliamentary seat and two out of four MCA positions in the constituency. He noted that all elected leaders under the party had since defected to UDA.
The event also saw Ganze Ward MCA Karisa Ngirani defect from ODM to UDA, citing dissatisfaction with the leadership of Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro.
Ngirani, who was elected on an ODM ticket, declared that Ganze would shift its political allegiance to UDA in the next election cycle and threw his support behind Aisha Jumwa’s anticipated gubernatorial bid.
“I am the only MCA elected on an ODM ticket in Ganze, but I am joining UDA because the current county leadership has failed the people. In 2027, Ganze will be firmly in UDA,” he said.
Jumwa, in a sharp critique, accused Governor Mung’aro of failing to deliver meaningful development in Ganze Sub County. She claimed that his only notable political achievement had been the impeachment of former Kilifi County Assembly Speaker Teddy Mwambire.
“The people of Ganze have not seen any development. The only thing the governor has done successfully is overseeing the impeachment of Teddy Mwambire,” Jumwa said.
The developments signal a growing political realignment in Kilifi County, with UDA consolidating its influence as leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 polls.
