By People Tribune
Talk about the dirty side of politics, and mischief will quickly rear its ugly face in the forthcoming Mumbuni North by-election .
The country is already in the 2027 general elections campaign mode, but before that there are mini polls slated for November 27, 2025, to fill some seats that are vacant.
And this has given political parties opportunity to out muscle each other, both at the national and local levels.
But in this melee there is no political entity in the country that’s dealing with that situation currently more than the National Liberal Party (NLP).
On Friday, November 14, the NLP was taken aback when Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Movement declared that Calweathers alias Mutisya wa Ngai, had withdrawn from the Mumbuni North by-election contest. The NLP had nominated Mutisya wa Ng’ai for the Mumbuni North Ward seat.
“The National Liberal Party wishes to express its deep disappointment and firm condemnation of the recent conduct by the Wiper Democratic Movement, whereby its leadership paraded our duly nominated candidate for the Mumbuni North Ward by-Election, Calweathers (Mutisya wa Ng’ai), and falsely declared that he had withdrawn from the race,” NLP Party Leader Augustus Mu0li dismissed the claims, insisting their candidate “remains on the ballot and has not resigned nor officially withdrawn his candidature.”
While dismissing the Wiper Democratic Movement’s move as deceptive Muli accused the Kalonzo Musyoka-led party of attempting to manipulate the race through “backdoor political bribery and coercion.”
“It is unacceptable that a party which constantly demands respect in national politics would resort to behind-the-scenes political bribery and coercion in an attempt to buy out competitors instead of engaging in fair democratic competition,” Muli said in a strongly worded statement.
He added that NLP would not be “bullied or treated as a junior passenger” in the country’s politics.
“Let it be known to the public and all electoral stakeholders that our candidate remains on the ballot and has NOT resigned nor officially withdrawn his candidature. Any claims to the contrary are malicious, deceptive, and politically dishonourable,” Muli said.
He emphasised that a political party must be respected, and NLP is a legal political entity with full rights under the Political Parties Act.
Muli stated if Wiper Party wants respect in future political coalitions, “they must begin by respecting fellow parties today – even in a single ward by-election.”
However, in a diplomatic stance, NLP said that it’s options remain open.
“NLP wishes to make it clear that our candidate remains on the ballot unless formally withdrawn through IEBC procedures,” he said, adding that the Party’s supporters will be guided accordingly on the way forward – including whether to; actively campaign and consolidate our vote for NLP, OR
declare support for another deserving candidate who respects multiparty democracy.
He said NLP has other genuine friends and partners in Mumbuni North and beyond, but emphasised that respect is mutual, and trust must be earned.
“If Wiper Party leadership cannot honorably consult a party in a simple ward by-election, how then should Kenyans trust them to honor coalition agreements in 2027 under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka?
Political partnership must be built on honesty – not backdoor deals,” Muli argues.
He pledged NLP’s committment to clean politics, respect for democratic institutions, and the protection of multiparty democracy.
