A mysterious social media post from Nyali MP Mohammed Ali has caused a stir in Kenya’s political circles. It suggests that he could leave the governing United Democratic Alliance (UDA). The fiery lawmaker, who is renowned for his no-holds-barred approach, posted pictures of a cosy tea session with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
These two are key members of the new opposition front that wants to get rid of President William Ruto in 2027. “Some Things Shouldn’t Be Announced Because They Are Meant to Be Found.” “Happy to Be Sipping Tea With Great, Wise Men,” Ali said on X, which used to be called Twitter, late Saturday.
People are saying that Ali is becoming more and more unhappy with UDA’s internal fights, which is why the meeting was convened at Musyoka’s Tseikuru residence in Kitui County.
Ali was elected on a UDA ticket in 2022 and has been a faithful supporter of Ruto for a long time, but things have become worse. His current action makes things worse after months of tension, especially with UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar, who is also running for governor in Mombasa.
Ali has criticised Omar for interfering in party elections and causing ethnic divides. He even boycotted grassroots elections in April because he thought they were rigged. The fight reached its height when Ali dropped out of UDA’s Mombasa primaries, saying that Omar was choosing candidates to leave out independents like him.
He said, “No one will stop me from pursuing my vision for Mombasa,” which hinted at running as an independent or maybe leaving the party altogether. Omar’s camp fought back, but the damage is still there, making UDA’s Coast wing seem like a house split. Ali’s opposition dalliance isn’t new.
He remained hard against Gachagua’s impeachment in October 2024, refusing to sign the motion and labelling it a “politically motivated witch hunt” run by those within the State House.
“I don’t have anything against Gachagua; this is not right,” he said, one of the few UDA members who defended the ex-DP’s “independent views”. ” That position got Gachagua’s friends to quietly nod, and it made for great tea-time optics today. The Gen Z demonstrations earlier this year made Ali’s split with the government even more clear.
He supported demands from young people to fire corrupt Cabinet Secretaries, but he criticised the government’s “heavy-handed” response and warned that political saboteurs may take over the streets.
“The protests started out peacefully, but thugs turned them into chaos by setting cars on fire and stealing from people,” he told reporters in Mombasa.
Ali wanted to talk instead of using batons because he was afraid of losing the young people who helped Ruto become elected. Some people didn’t listen to his requests. In June, protesters even invaded his Nyali office and demanded that he completely reject the punishing Finance Bill.
Ali, who was recuperating from many operations during the riots, subsequently said, “I almost lost my life to this chaos.” But he pushed for constitutional changes instead of anarchy, making himself a bridge-builder.
Gachagua, who is currently in charge of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), didn’t waste any time applauding Ali after the meeting. He said, “Mohammed’s vision for Coast mobilisation is spot-on; we’re building a front for true liberation,” which was a call for unhappy Kenya Kwanza MPs to join him.
The unified opposition, which combines Wiper’s support in Ukambani with Gachagua’s power in Mt. Kenya, says that economic justice and inclusion are the best ways to fight Ruto’s tax increases and corruption scandals.
Social media went crazy overnight. “Ali ditching Ruto for tea with wise men” memes went around on social media, and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said, “Ali’s fallout?” Just bitter over money dealings.
People who supported Ali were happy with the change. One tweet joked, “Coast is gone for good; Nyali’s king eyes governor’s seat!” There hasn’t been any official defection yet, but sources say Ali is interested in the opposition’s Mombasa ticket.
If Ali leaves, current Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, who is a friend of Ruto, would have a hard time in 2027. The leaders of UDA tried to minimise it as “personal chats”, but the party’s hold on the Coast seems weaker than ever.
As Kenya gets ready for 2027, Ali’s shift shows a bigger change: loyalists becoming critics and alliances falling apart because of ambition. Will the “Jicho Pevu” journalist who became an MP change what he wrote? The tea is still boiling, and the rumours are hotter than ever.