A political storm has erupted over the Mumbuni North By-Election after the National Liberal Party (NLP) fiercely attacked the Wiper Democratic Movement.

The NLP’s condemnation focuses on Wiper’s public claim that the NLP’s candidate, Mr. Calweathers (Mutisya wa Ngai), had pulled out of the race.

In a press statement issued on November 15, 2025, NLP Party Leader Augustus Muli strongly denied the reports, clarifying that their candidate remains on the ballot and has not resigned nor officially withdrawn his candidature through the IEBC procedures. The NLP has labeled Wiper’s claims as “malicious, deceptive, and politically dishonourable

The NLP escalated its criticism, directly accusing Wiper of resorting to “behind-the-scenes political bribery and coercion” in an attempt to “buy out competitors instead of engaging in fair democratic competition”.

The party stressed that it is a legal political entity with full rights and will not be “bullied, cornered, or treated as a junior passenger” in the democracy.

They demanded that for Wiper to gain respect in future political coalitions, they must first respect fellow parties today, even in a single ward by-election.

The dispute has led the NLP to question Wiper’s credibility for future political deals. The party asked how Kenyans could trust Wiper and its leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, to honour coalition agreements in 2027 if they cannot “honorably consult a party” in a simple ward by-election.

The NLP insisted that political partnership must be based on honesty, not “backdoor deals,” and that respect for a political party is non-negotiable.