Bungoma Senator and Senate Majority Whip Wafula Wakoli has hinted at far-reaching changes within the Ford Kenya party, saying the time has come to reconnect the party with its grassroots supporters and demand accountability from its elected leaders.
In a message shared on Tuesday, Wakoli said Ford Kenya was entering a new phase that would require discipline, commitment, and renewed focus on service delivery.
He urged party officials and elected leaders to prepare for reforms aimed at strengthening internal structures and restoring public trust.
Wakoli, one of the younger leaders within the party, said Ford Kenya must return to its original mission of championing the interests of ordinary citizens rather than serving a few individuals.
“The people of Ford Kenya must be ready for changes that will bring the party back to its grassroots,” he said.
“Anyone elected on the party’s ticket must work for the people and honour the mandate they were given.”
The senator made it clear that leadership within the party would no longer tolerate excuses or blame-shifting. He warned that elected leaders, from Members of County Assembly to Members of Parliament, must take full responsibility for their performance.
According to Wakoli, Ford Kenya’s future depends on leaders delivering tangible results on the ground rather than relying on the party leader to absorb criticism for failures they did not cause.
“Everyone must carry their own responsibility,” he said.
“We cannot keep blaming the party leadership for mistakes that are not of their making.”
Wakoli said he would personally lead by example in fulfilling his duties as senator and party leader, adding that reforms would focus on discipline, transparency, and performance.
Wakoli brings long experience within Ford Kenya, having previously served as a close aide to party leader Moses Wetang’ula before vying for the Bungoma Senate seat.
His rise came after Wetang’ula was elected Speaker of the National Assembly, creating room for new leadership within the party’s parliamentary ranks.
Observers say Wakoli represents a new generation of leaders pushing for internal renewal while maintaining loyalty to the party’s founding ideals.
Wakoli’s remarks come shortly after Speaker Wetang’ula issued a firm warning to party officials ahead of planned grassroots elections.
Wetang’ula said the party would not tolerate individuals seeking to benefit from Ford Kenya without contributing to its growth.
He assured members that the upcoming elections would be conducted fairly and without favoritism.
“There will be no joyriders in this party,” Wetang’ula said. “The voting process will be free and fair, and no one will be favoured or discriminated against.”
The grassroots polls are expected to play a key role in reshaping the party’s leadership and strengthening its structures ahead of future elections.
The push for reforms follows Ford Kenya’s disappointing performance in the Chwele–Kabuchai by-election held on November 27.
In that contest, voters rejected the party’s candidate in favour of an independent contender, raising concerns about the party’s connection with its support base.
Political analysts say the loss exposed weaknesses in party mobilisation and internal coordination, prompting urgent reflection among party leaders.
“The by-election results were a wake-up call,” said a political observer from Western Kenya. “They showed that party loyalty cannot be taken for granted.”
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