Wamuthende: Who is Mbeere North’s new MP?

On Thursday, November 27, 2025, Njeru Leonard Muriuki secured the Mbeere North parliamentary seat for the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

The victory ensures the constituency remains a Kenya Kwanza stronghold following the elevation of immediate former MP, Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku, to the Cabinet as Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes.

While the win solidifies the ruling coalition's numbers in the National Assembly, the man at the centre of this victory, popularly known as 'Wamuthende,' remains a figure of significant contention.

Behind the campaign moniker lies a trail of identity disputes and legal questions that dog his path to Parliament.

To his supporters in Siakago and Ishiara, he is simply 'Wamuthende'.

However, his candidacy faced stiff opposition not just at the ballot, but before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) tribunals.

Central to the controversy is the allegation that Njeru Leonard Muriuki formally changed his name from Leonard Muriuki Njeru to Leo Wamuthende Njeru via a deed poll gazetted under Notice No. 13575 of 2025.

Petitioners argued that the name change was not merely cosmetic but a calculated manoeuvre to disassociate from the Biomax Africa Limited scandal, which involved a disputed Sh433 million tender at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Opposition figures maintained that the new identity was adopted to evade outstanding legal consequences regarding EACC recommendations for prosecution that were closing in on him.

Despite these heavy allegations, the IEBC cleared him to run.

His legal team successfully navigated the tribunal hurdles, allowing him to appear on the ballot as Njeru Leonard Muriuki.

Yet, the question of identity remained a recurrent theme throughout the campaign, painting a picture of a candidate running as much from his past as he was running for office.

Wamuthende’s victory was arguably less about his personal brand and more about the efficiency of the UDA party machinery.

The campaign was a high-stakes operation to ensure the seat did not fall to the opposition.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki was a visible presence, camping in the region to rally the base.

The newly appointed CS Geoffrey Ruku also endorsed Wamuthende, signalling to the electorate that Muriuki was the 'system’s' choice to safeguard the constituency's interests.

This heavy endorsement effectively insulated Wamuthende from the character attacks launched by his opponents, turning the by-election into a referendum on government support rather than a scrutiny of the candidate’s personal history.