Photos: Confusion as Sudi-linked influencer Mercy Masai joins DCP

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- Mercy Nashipai Legilisho, popularly known as Mercy Masai, officially joined Rigathi Gachagua's DCP party

- The 26-year-old Kajiado native announced her bid for the Woman Representative seat in the 2027 elections under the DCP banner

- Her move raised eyebrows given her previously reported close links to UDA MP Oscar Sudi, a vocal supporter of President Ruto's two terms

A Kajiado influencer and aspiring politician has set tongues wagging after ditching her reported political associations to formally join former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's Democratic Change Party (DCP), with many Kenyans pointing to her rumoured links with a senior government MP as the reason for the surprise.

Mercy Nashipai Legilisho, widely known as Mercy Masai, made her political entry official on Sunday, August 16, when she announced on Facebook that she had joined DCP and would be contesting the Kajiado County Woman Representative seat in the 2027 general elections.

Did Maercy Masai join DCP?

Gachagua personally welcomed her to the party, describing her decision as the right one and declaring:

"The future is Green!"

Gachagua, who has been aggressively building DCP as a political vehicle ahead of 2027, framed her defection as a natural response to the mood on the ground, arguing that the people of Kajiado had already made their party of choice clear.

Born in 1998 in Nkama, Oloitokitok, Mercy describes herself as a psychologist by training, a farmer by passion, and a community activist at heart.

She runs the Mercy Mission Foundation, a community-based organisation she says is driving change across Kajiado.

In her announcement, she said her vision for the county centred on "breaking down barriers of clan and tribe" and ensuring universal access to quality education and healthcare.

"To those who have stood by me from day one, thank you for your unwavering faith in my leadership. The real work begins now! To my critics, I welcome your constructive feedback as we build this future together," she wrote on Facebook.

What has given her announcement an extra layer of drama is her previously reported association with Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, a fierce defender of President William Ruto's administration and a leading voice for Ruto's two-term presidency.

Mercy had publicly declared support for a single Ruto term, a position sharply at odds with Sudi's public stance, and her move to Gachagua's opposition outfit has only deepened the intrigue.

Kenyans on social media were quick to connect the dots, with reactions ranging from amusement to outright scepticism.

@Diana Wamaitha:

"A mole, this one, from Oscar Sudi."

@Salim Hussein:

"She must be a sharp girl."

@Byamukama Amos:

"What will she tell Oscar Sudi then?"

@Wilfred Rimoine:

"Welcome to DCP Mercy Masai Nashipai, incoming women rep."

@Josh Sam:

"I saw you last week with the Wiper delegation, and you donned a Wiper cap."

Whether Mercy Masai's candidacy gains traction, or whether her party-hopping trail follows her to the ballot, remains to be seen.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.