Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for a drastic reduction in the number of political parties in Kenya, describing their proliferation as retrogressive and divisive. Speaking from the Dominican Republic, where he is on a diplomatic visit, Mudavadi said Kenya must shift toward a political model anchored on a few ideology-driven parties.
“We have too many parties. The experiment has failed. It is time to reflect and move toward a political landscape that promotes national unity and democracy,” said Mudavadi, who also serves as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
Kenya currently has 91 registered political parties. Mudavadi proposed that the country should have no more than five, citing the stable 1990s multiparty era, when four main parties shaped national discourse following the repeal of Section 2a of the Constitution.
Former Deputy President Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua launched a new political party yesterday, joining a growing list of recent entrants such as the United Summit Party (USP) and The Future Party.
While acknowledging the constitutional right to form political parties, Mudavadi argued that this right has been misused to create ethnic and regional vehicles lacking a national agenda. He accused the opposition of rallying around tribal identities before the 2027 elections, warning that such politics undermine cohesion and development.
“We must stop pretending that having many parties promotes democracy. Instead, it has fueled division and ethnic hatred,” he said, advocating for the consolidation of parties based on clear ideology and national vision.
He praised the 2022 alliance between his former party, the Amani National Congress (ANC), and President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), describing it as a turning point that helped reduce ethnic tensions and focus on economic recovery.
Mudavadi also welcomed Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga’s cooperation with President Ruto in forming a broad-based government, saying such unity is essential for peace, stability, and national progress.
He is expected to sign a security and medical evacuation pact in Santo Domingo for Kenyan personnel involved in Haiti’s peace mission before heading to Brazil to pursue trade agreements.
