Moses Kuria, President William Ruto’s Senior Economic Adviser, has announced that his political party, Chama Cha Kazi (CCK), will participate in the upcoming by-elections. This development hints at the party’s potential resurgence as it prepares for the 2027 elections.
On Sunday, May 11, Kuria made the announcement, revealing that CCK, which was believed to have been dissolved in 2022, would be active in the political scene once the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) sets a date for elections.
Kuria, a prominent figure in the political landscape, emphasized the significance of the party as he spoke about the upcoming elections, saying, “As we prepare for the swearing-in of the new IEBC, this party, founded on August 17, 2021, is the one to watch. By-elections are on the horizon. It’s going to be a battle royale.”
This announcement comes more than three years after CCK had applied to merge with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
In October 2022, the Chama Cha Kazi party had sent a letter to the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP), expressing their intention to merge with UDA.
The letter stated, “Chama Cha Kazi wishes to inform all its members, as per Article 10.0.1(b) of our Constitution, that we have decided to merge with the United Democratic Alliance. Members are invited to submit their support or opposition to the merger within 21 days.”
This move followed Kuria’s nomination as Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Industry in 2022, a little over a year after the formation of Chama Cha Kazi. On October 2, 2022, Kuria revealed that he had formally submitted a request to dissolve CCK and join UDA, sharing that he had sent the letter to the RPP’s Anne Nderitu.
“Until yesterday, I was the leader of Chama Cha Kazi. But on Friday, September 30, I wrote to the ORPP requesting the dissolution of the party so that I could join UDA,” Kuria explained.
At the time, President Ruto was pushing for the consolidation of parties within the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, urging smaller parties to merge into one, similar to the previous Jubilee party structure.
Despite the request for dissolution, there has been no official confirmation that CCK fully merged with UDA.
In the meantime, Kuria has continued to suggest that there is growing political discontent within the Kenya Kwanza administration. In recent months, he has been seen aligning himself with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, a key rival of the UDA party.
On May 8, 2025, President Ruto nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new chairperson of the IEBC, along with six other members, to fill vacant positions in the commission.
After being vetted and sworn in, the newly appointed commissioners will oversee the by-elections leading up to the 2027 general elections.
These by-elections are necessary to fill vacancies caused by the deaths of elected leaders, including the recent passing of Kasipul MP Charles Were. Other constituencies that need to fill vacant positions include Banisa, Magarini, and Ugunja in Mandera, Kilifi, and Siaya counties, respectively.
As the political landscape evolves, the return of Chama Cha Kazi could mark a significant shift as Kuria seeks to re-establish his party ahead of the upcoming political contests.
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