Two Kisii MPs clash over Ruto and Matiang’i

In a tense moment at a burial ceremony in Marani, Kisii County, two neighbouring legislators—Antony Kibagendi of Kitutu Chache South and Japheth Nyakundi of Kitutu Chache North—locked horns over the future of Kenya’s 2027 presidential race. The dispute erupted over allegiances to William Ruto, the current president, and Fred Matiang’i, the former interior minister. Nyakundi, a staunch Ruto supporter and national treasurer of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), confronted Kibagendi after the latter used the microphone to critique Ruto’s administration and rally support for Matiang’i. The confrontation escalated when Nyakundi attempted to snatch the microphone, prompting a physical altercation on stage and requiring security intervention.
The fallout between the two MPs highlights wider undercurrents in the Kisii region and Kenya’s political landscape at large. Kibagendi, who previously served in Ruto’s office when the latter was deputy president, publicly denounced the current administration as having misled the nation and accused it of seeking to sow division among the Abagusii community. Meanwhile, Nyakundi dismissed the remarks as inappropriate for a funeral setting, insisting that political showdowns belong elsewhere and reaffirming his backing for Ruto. The clash reflects a contest not only between individuals, but between emerging presidential‑contender blocs ahead of 2027, with regional outcomes potentially shifting as politicians vie for the next ticket.
Reactions to the incident have rippled beyond Kisii. Political observers see the spectacle as emblematic of mounting pressures within party structures and the difficulty of containing internal disagreements ahead of a critical election. Some local community members expressed disappointment that a funeral – normally a uniting event – was overshadowed by political rivalry, fearing it could deepen regional fault‑lines. Others suggest the scuffle will be leveraged by both camps as proof of the intensity with which 2027 ambitions are already playing out at the grassroots. Analysts caution that unless party leaderships manage such disputes proactively, they risk alienating voters who are fatigued by intra‑party feuds. Looking ahead, the Kisii episode serves as a reminder that even seemingly minor local events can be bellwethers of national realignments—and that the battle for Kenya’s presidency is already being fought in constituency halls, funeral stages and county corridors alike.