Ruto Welcomes Aisha Jumwa Back to UDA Months After Dramatic Exit
President William Ruto has welcomed former Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa back to the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), marking a fresh twist in her political journey ahead of the 2027 General Election.
By Emmanuel Kyengo;
President William Ruto has welcomed former Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa back to the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), marking a fresh twist in her political journey ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Jumwa was received by the Head of State during a meeting at State House in Mombasa on Thursday, November 12, 2026, months after announcing her departure from the ruling party following disagreements over her political ambitions in Kilifi County.
In a statement following their meeting, President Ruto expressed his willingness to work with Jumwa again, noting that her return would strengthen the party’s transformation agenda at the Coast and other parts of the country.
The President also reiterated UDA’s commitment to bringing leaders together under what he described as a shared vision of national unity, inclusivity and prosperity.
Jumwa’s return comes nearly four months after she publicly announced her resignation from UDA on July 30, 2026, citing frustrations within the party and what she termed a lack of support for her political ambitions.
At the time, the former Gender Cabinet Secretary accused sections of the ruling party of frustrating her plans to contest the Kilifi gubernatorial seat in the 2027 elections.
She also expressed disappointment with the treatment she had received from the party leadership, claiming that her efforts to have her concerns addressed by President Ruto had been unsuccessful.
Jumwa further alleged that she had experienced humiliation within the ruling party, including an incident in which she claimed she was chased away from State House during an engagement involving Coast leaders.
Following her departure, Jumwa began exploring political alternatives, attracting interest from opposition leaders keen to strengthen their influence in the Coast region.
She subsequently joined the Wiper Patriotic Front under the leadership of Kalonzo Musyoka, who welcomed her into the party and proposed her for a senior leadership position, including Deputy Party Leader.
During her engagement with Wiper, Jumwa declared her support for the one-term political movement and indicated her intention to pursue the Kilifi gubernatorial seat.
Her move to Wiper marked a major political shift, considering that she had previously been among UDA’s prominent founding members and a key mobiliser for President Ruto in the Coast region during the 2022 General Election.
Jumwa’s political return to UDA now raises fresh questions about her political ambitions in Kilifi, particularly amid the ongoing contest involving incumbent Governor Gideon Mung’aro, who is seeking another term.
Mung’aro is associated with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), while the political arrangements between UDA and ODM have continued to influence discussions surrounding the distribution of political support in the Coast region.
Jumwa previously served as Kilifi Woman Representative before becoming Malindi Member of Parliament. She later joined President Ruto’s administration, serving as Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage before being dropped during the July 2024 Cabinet reshuffle.
Although Ruto’s latest meeting signals renewed cooperation between the two leaders, his statement did not clarify whether Jumwa would receive a new government or party position.
Her re-entry into UDA adds another development to the shifting political alliances taking shape as leaders position themselves ahead of the next General Election.
