Former Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa speaks to the media in this picture taken on February 23, 2024.
Former Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa is increasingly facing political turmoil in Kilifi after getting sacked in July.
From being sidelined by Kilifi politicians in a major Mijikenda cultural festival last week to being told that United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party is considering having a different gubernatorial flagbearer in the 2027 elections, Ms Jumwa is slowly cutting the image of a used and dumped political leader.
Last week, the former Malindi MP was left in the cold after leaders from across the political divide backed Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro during a show of might between the two at the Chenda Chenda cultural event.
The annual event is organised to celebrate Mijikenda culture.
At the function, the two political rivals who had competed for the Kilifi gubernatorial post in 2022, had each set up their tents and dais.
However, leaders present, among them Investment, Trade and Industry CS Salim Mvurya, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir settled with the governor.
Soon afterwards, it emerged that a rift is also widening between Ms Jumwa and a section of influential UDA leaders in the county led by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya.
The MP, who is also the National Assembly deputy majority leader, announced that he was courting Mr Mung'aro, an ODM member, to join UDA and be the party's 2027 gubernatorial candidate.
Mr Baya castigated Ms Jumwa, claiming that since she was sacked from the Cabinet, she has resorted to early campaigns for 2027 elections to a point that is distracting every other elected and state-appointed leader in Kilifi.
“Everybody was assigned their duties. The governor is responsible for the county government, the Speaker for the Senate and the Cabinet secretary for their ministry, and each of them should bring their fruits to the Mijikenda community," Mr Baya said.
“But if you were not a performer and people lost confidence in your work and you were dismissed, you should sit and give a chance for others to work. We should give Governor Mung’aro time to work and the people know who their leader is,” he went.
A few weeks after President William Ruto dissolved his Cabinet, he was in Kilifi County for a development tour.
Ms Jumwa was among the leaders who joined him during the launch of the Sh50 million modern Watamu Market. In his speech, the President promised that he would not forsake her.
The former Gender CS was at the frontline during UDA political campaigns in Kilifi and was the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2022 General Election.
Her woes within the UDA party worsened when she recently distanced herself from a common stand taken by several party leaders to back Mr Stanley Kenga in the anticipated Magarini constituency by-election.
The Magarini seat fell vacant after the election of Harrison Kombe was nullified by the Supreme Court following a successful petition by Mr Kenga, who was a candidate through the UDA party in the 2022 elections.
Mr Kenga has openly got the backing of several party leaders including Mr Baya and UDA acting secretary general Hassan Omar who had earlier said he would get a direct ticket.
Former Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa addresses to residents of Kifili County during the commissioning of the construction of a market at Watamu on July 26, 2024.
It is worth noting that Mr Baya was among UDA leaders who vehemently defended Ms Jumwa against claims that she was unfit to hold a Cabinet position because she was facing a murder case in court, which was however later dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions for lack of adequate evidence.
During her days in the Cabinet, Ms Jumwa and Mr Mung’aro had put aside their political differences and would be seen gracing some national and county functions in Kilifi together.
In fact, at a time when Mr Mung'aro was facing stiff opposition from Kilifi Woman Representative Getrude Mbeyu last year, the former CS, who by then had declared no interest to vie for the gubernatorial position in 2027, was among Kilifi leaders backing the governor.
However, Mr Mung’aro has lately accused Ms Jumwa of moving around the county showing off and chest thumping in preparation for the 2027 elections.
"If someone is a man or woman enough, let's meet in 2027. God willing we will go back to the people and ask for votes. If you have the power we could have seen it in 2022. If you didn't plan well in 2022 and I beat you, will you defeat me now that I am in government?" asked Mr Mung'aro.
Ms Jumwa has since denied claims that she is engaging in early gubernatorial campaigns in Kilifi.
Despite being criticised, she continues to go out to the community with her team and supporters conducting different social initiatives.
For instance, after the chaotic Chenda Chenda cultural event and accusations, she donated food to the Adu Ward residents in the Magarini Sub-county.
Former Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa during a function to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in Elgeyo Marakwet County on February )6, 2024.
“I am shocked the MPs accused me of being mean yet I involved him (Governor Mung’aro) during the planning of the Chenda Chenda festival. I don’t know why they had turned against me to accuse me of campaigning for 2027.
“They said I am just an ordinary Kenyan, which is true. I am not in any position but being jobless for me is not the end of life,” she said, during a live interview at a local radio station.
She added that she will forever remain grateful to President Ruto because he raised her profile by appointing her the Gender Cabinet Secretary, a position she says she had never thought of holding in her life.
According to political analyst Kazungu Katana, the former Gender CS has been hit hard politically and is striving to remain relevant.
“She has been hit hard and wounded politically and in her career. She is trying to use every means possible to find relevance. I think if she continues the way she is she will lose her popularity among the coastal people,” he said.
Likening her to a wounded lioness, Mr Katana added that Ms Jumwa should however be careful not to step on everyone’s toes.
“She is a wounded lioness who wants to prove her case that she can fight even if she is badly wounded. Jumwa should slow down, we are not talking about politics this year or next year and so her extreme approach to things aimlessly will make her get fatigued and her supporters too,” she said.
Mr Kazungu said it would be wise for Ms Jumwa to sit back to reflect on why she first lost the cabinet position, strategise for her future, then decide the measures to take.
“That needs a lot of patience before she comes out to dance the way she is dancing right now, she may lose it all,” he said.
Aisha Jumwa, then the MP for Malindi, during a Kenya Kwanza campaign rally at Karatina town on May 21, 2022.
Mr Katana brushed off the statement by Mr Baya that he was courting Governor Mung’aro to ditch ODM and join UDA.
According to him, the assertions could just be that Mr Baya wants to align himself with Governor Mung’aro to achieve his personal political interest.
Similar sentiments were made by the Speaker of Kilifi County Assembly Teddy Mwambire.
"There is a high possibility that there will be no UDA in the next General Elections, but ODM will be there very vibrantly. How can Owen Baya talk about fishing ODM members to UDA? The MP is daydreaming," Mr Mwambire said.
