Bumula MP Wamboka Criticizes Wetangula’s Uhuru Exit Call

Bumula MP Jack Wamboka yesterday rejected Speaker Moses Wetangula demands that former president Uhuru Kenyatta leave active politics. The lawmaker spoke in Bungoma County and labeled the advice ironic given the age gap. He pointed out that the 70-year-old speaker wants a 63-year-old to quit while he himself remains in high office. Crowds listened closely as Wamboka defended Kenyatta’s right to stay engaged ahead of the 2027 polls.

The Bumula MP rejects any suggestion that Uhuru should step aside now. He reminded everyone present that Uhuru found Wetangula already seated in Parliament years earlier. Uhuru is only 63. Wetangula has passed 70 years. The numbers sit right there in plain view.

Wamboka clapped once for emphasis. He told the gathering that the speaker should examine his own long career first. The call for an exit lands as pure irony. Many heads nodded.

Another man covered his mouth. The atmosphere stayed charged yet controlled. Politics in western Kenya often turns sharp this close to an election cycle.

They saw the response as a firm pushback against pressure from the Kenya Kwanza side. Wamboka has long stood outside that alliance. He represents Bumula on a different ticket and has clashed with Wetangula before over local projects and party loyalty.

Why Did Jack Wamboka Reject the Wetangula Advice?

Jack Wamboka rejected the advice because he sees clear age hypocrisy and believes Uhuru retains every right to defend his party. He explained during the outdoor briefing that Wetangula entered Parliament long before Uhuru rose to national power.

The Speaker now occupies one of the most powerful chairs in the National Assembly yet still tells a younger man to leave the field. Wamboka framed the moment as selective. He asked the crowd why the older leader stays active while urging others to retire. The point landed hard.

Local residents in Bumula know the history well. Wetangula has served multiple terms and now holds the speakership. Uhuru completed two full terms as president between 2013 and 2022. He has since focused on Jubilee Party matters.

In early May 2026, Wetangula first urged the former head of state to adopt an elder statesman role. He spoke then at Lunyofu Primary School in Budalang’i and cited the late Daniel Arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki as models of quiet retirement. Uhuru answered those earlier comments by insisting he only protects his party and seeks no new office.

Wamboka returned to that exchange yesterday. He noted the passage of months had not softened the Speaker’s stance. Instead, the pressure continued. The Bumula MP rejects the framing that paints Uhuru as a problem.

He pointed out that democracy allows former leaders to speak. The 63-year-old still walks with energy and engages supporters. Age alone cannot force an exit.

What Age Difference Fuels the Political Irony?

The age difference fuels the irony because Wetangula, at over 70, directs a 63-year-old to leave while remaining firmly in power himself. Wamboka hammered that contrast repeatedly.

He said Uhuru arrived in Parliament and found Wetangula already established. The younger man later became president. Now the older one issues retirement advice. The logic fails basic arithmetic.

Voters across Bungoma County track these numbers. Many remember Wetangula’s long service in Ford Kenya and earlier roles. Uhuru built his base through the National Alliance (TNA) and later Jubilee. Their paths crossed for years. The current tension sits against the approach of the 2027 general election. Parties already position candidates. Alliances shift. Former presidents attract attention whenever they appear at party events.

He refused soft phrasing. He told the audience that the speaker should first consider stepping back if age forms the true measure. The crowd responded with murmurs of agreement. One man resting his chin on his hand looked thoughtful. Others leaned in. The speech lasted several minutes and stayed focused on the single point of fairness.

Background details add weight. Wetangula has held the National Assembly speakership since 2022. He balances the role with party leadership. Uhuru maintains an office and receives retirement benefits under the law.

Debates over those benefits surfaced earlier in 2026 when some senators questioned his continued political voice. Supporters of the former president insist the constitution protects free expression. Wamboka aligned with that view yesterday. He rejects any attempt to silence a 63-year-old while older figures continue without restraint.

The Bumula constituency sits in Bungoma County, where local rivalries often mirror national ones. Wamboka has faced pressure to switch parties in past seasons. He has declined. His stance yesterday reinforced that independent line. He defended Uhuru not as a personal ally but as a matter of principle. Age cannot become a weapon used selectively.

Further comments from the gathering reinforced the theme. Attendees pointed to the calendar. August 2026 leaves less than a year before nomination seasons heat up. Leaders who urge others to retire often face the same demand in return.

Wamboka made that reality plain. He spoke without notes and kept eye contact with the front row. His hands moved from open palms to a clasped position and back again. The body language matched the firm words.

Kenyan political tradition includes long careers. Some leaders serve into their seventies and beyond. Others step aside earlier by choice. The debate now centers on whether a former president must stay silent.

Wamboka answers no. He rejects the Wetangula position as uneven. The 70-year-old speaker continues in a high constitutional office. The 63-year-old former president speaks for his party. Both remain free under the same constitution.

As the session wound down, the group remained seated for a short while. Conversations continued in low tones. The video of the remarks circulated within hours. Engagement numbers climbed as users shared the age comparison.