Nderitu Gachagua: Nyeri's first governor who built an empire

Nyeri County’s first governor Nderitu Gachagua. (Courtesy)

James Nderitu Gachagua was Nyeri County’s first governor after being elected in 2013 on a Grand National Unity party ticket. The University of Nairobi Building Economics graduate first served as Member of Parliament for Mathira Constituency before contesting and winning the gubernatorial seat.

Prior to politics, Nderitu had had a long stint in public service. He had served in different capacities within government institutions and had built a good reputation as a result oriented and pragmatic personnel.

Nderitu, who was born on July 29, 1956 left behind a rich legacy in local and national politics.  His leadership focused on healthcare improvements, economic development and agricultural advancements for residents in his county.

He also strongly advocated for policies that focused on infrastructure development, and modern farming techniques especially in rural areas.

Nderitu’s political career was largely influenced by his family, which was highly political.

His brother Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua succeeded him as the MP for Mathira and is the former Deputy President of Kenya. Nderitu was an alumnus of Kagumo High School.

His efforts to protect and enhance devolution are also widely acknowledged.

In particular, he advocated and fought to see that counties receive sufficient resources to enable them manage their respective issues. Despite him being a governor of a county, his influence extended to the national political space.

His type of politics resonated around promoting transparency, good governance and development.

This always positioned him as a notable figure in Kenya’s politics.

Nderitu Gachagua succumbed to pancreatic cancer on February 24, 2017 while undergoing treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

His death marked a great loss to his family, his community, region and even Kenya at large.