Former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has weighed in on Aisha Jumwa’s resignation from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), describing the move as politically significant and rooted in the former Cabinet Secretary’s past contributions to President William Ruto’s 2022 election win.
Jumwa announced her exit from UDA on Thursday, July 30, citing conscience and the need to defend the democratic will of voters in Kilifi County.
Her departure has since triggered reactions across the political divide, with Orwoba offering a detailed account of Jumwa’s influence during the last general election.
Orwoba said Jumwa was the only Coast-based leader who campaigned openly for Ruto in a region largely aligned with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
She noted that Jumwa mobilised significant support despite political risks, delivering an estimated 64,000 votes for Ruto in Kilifi County.
“Hon. Aisha Jumwa Katana is the only Coast region leader in 2022 who campaigned fearlessly for Ruto in the Coast against her own party ODM,” Orwoba stated, linking the votes to Jumwa’s strong gubernatorial performance at the time.
According to Orwoba, Jumwa’s efforts extended beyond Kilifi through mobilisation initiatives such as the Kenya Kwanza women’s charter campaigns, which she said contributed to more than 300,000 votes for Ruto across the Coast region.
She further placed this contribution within the broader context of the 2022 presidential results, noting that Ruto’s victory margin stood at approximately 200,000 votes.
Orwoba argued that Jumwa’s support base played a critical role in consolidating that lead.
“Those who think this was inconsequential should remember that Ruto won with a narrow margin,” she said, suggesting the Coast vote could have influenced the final outcome.
Orwoba also criticised what she described as unfair treatment of Jumwa within UDA, characterising the party environment as “corrupt” and “toxic.”
Jumwa has yet to announce her next political move, but her exit is expected to impact UDA’s standing in the Coast region, where she remains a prominent political figure