Karen or Wamunyoro?: Which way for Mt Kenya voters

When Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and the current DP Kithure Kindiki met at a past government event. [File, Standard] Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and his predecessor, Rigathi Gachagua, are engaged in a political match aimed at tearing each other down by wooing each other's allies. Mr Gachagua has converted his Wamunyoro village home into a command centre, where he has been meeting political guests and delegations and firing salvos at President Ruto and his administration. In the city, Prof Kindiki has been using the DP's Karen residence, replicating Gachagua's moves, by hosting delegations from areas his predecessor had already covered. Gachagua has invited delegations from each of the 11 Mt Kenya counties, comprising MPs, Members of County Assemblies and aspirants for various elective positions, whom he is confiding in about his plans to ensure that Mt Kenya region will be part of government in 2027. The former Number Two has also hosted delegations from Isiolo and Maa-speaking regions seeking to solidify his influence in Mt Kenya and neighbouring counties. During the meetings, Gachagua has been telling his visitors why they should join him in a new party that is in the works, which he hopes to use to bargain for national resource allocation even as he continually reiterates that the President shortchanged the region by engaging in a "use and dump" strategy. READ: Gachagua ouster, Kindiki's nomination to shift political landscape "In our recent visit to his Wamunyoro home, he said he has a better plan for us and the region, and we believe him. We believe that the regional party that he will soon launch will accommodate everybody and everyone will have a say," said Gichobe Mbatia, the Kariara ward MCA. During his meetings, the former Deputy President has also disclosed that he is seeking to forge political partnerships with like-minded leaders with a clear plan to dislodge President Ruto from power come 2027. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during an engagement with Embu County leaders and grassroot opinion shapers on the County's development priorities for revitalisation of critical value chains and citizen empowerment programs at Karen Residence on January 17, 2025. [DPCS] "To the concerns that his efforts to rally the mountain behind him will be futile because he cannot vie, he informed us that the matter would be settled in the courts and, even if he is not cleared, he will influence who will take over from President Ruto by being a kingmaker," a leader, who visited Gachagua's Wamunyoro home, said. Cattle dip Gachagua's impeachment and his pronouncements, such as a government of shareholding and mounting traps at State House to prevent Raila Odinga from accessing it, have been used by President William Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to present the former Deputy President as a tribal leader. "You can't follow a person who is criss-crossing his region presenting himself as a tribal leader and speaking about shareholding. He has been silenced by the National Assembly and the Senate. He can't even vie for a cattle dip position," President Ruto told his supporters in Kakamega. READ: Gachagua officially kicked out of UDA as Kindiki takes his place Sources within Gachagua's circles have revealed that he has opted to use his rural home to avoid being trailed by State operatives in Nairobi after he registered concerns that unknown vehicles had been following him to his city home. His allies, who include Gatanga MP Edward Muriu, who is also UDA's legal affairs secretary, said it was from Wamunyoro that a political direction of the Mt Kenya region would be announced. "Gachagua is a man who understands Ruto. He is his dose in 2027. Leaders and delegations who are heading to his home are the clearest indication that they are ready for him," said the Gatanga MP. Aware of the political landmines being set up by Gachagua, Kindiki on the other hand has been rushing against time to undo his rival's achievements. He has hosted delegations from Embu, Murang'a and Maa regions, in addition to mobilising over 30 lawmakers at his Karen residence. During the meetings, Kindiki urged his delegations to be patient with the government over delayed development, saying it was now time for the Kenya Kwanza administration to deliver all that was promised. Kindiki dismissed the restlessness being witnessed in the country, saying the administration was focused on the 2027 exam from Kenyans, remaining upbeat that by that time, it would have implemented most of the projects. "That is why I have focused on development and faster delivery of the projects we promised before the elections,'' said the Deputy President. Two days ago, Kindiki hosted elected leaders from Mt Kenya region and used the occasion to discuss the completion of ongoing infrastructural development projects such as roads, Last-mile electricity connections, water reticulation, markets and county aggregation and industrial parks. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua paid a courtesy call on Martha Karua at her home in Kimunye Village, Gichugu Constituency in Kirinyaga County on January 25, 2025. [Courtesy, Standard] "Focus the region more on development and not politics to avoid a three-year loss of opportunities," Kindiki told the leaders. Diverse opinion In a meeting with a delegation of over 1,500 members from Embu last week, Kindiki indirectly downplayed Gachagua's influence, saying it would fade off before 2027. "It would be the height of irresponsibility on arrival here to start planning, conniving and jostling around for some imaginary political space. We will not be drawn into pettiness, into scheming how to attack who, how to block a road, or prevent people from accessing their destination. These are retrogressive, primitive and dangerous politics. We will not go there as leaders of Embu and we are open to people of diverse political opinion," he said. ALSO READ: 'Tuheshimiane!': Kindiki takes on Gachagua for Mt Kenya influence To tame Gachagua's allies, Kindiki has crafted a strategy to clip them. It is understood that former Murang'a governor Mwangi Wa Iria, who was recently appointed to head the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, has been on a mission to reach out to former Jubilee elected leaders. For the last two days, Wa Iria has met former MPs Wangari Mwaniki (Kigumo), Peter Kimari (Mathioya) and Gatanga parliamentary aspirant Sam Waweru. "We shall continue engaging various leaders with the core agenda being unity of purpose and development of our people," said Wa Iria. On Friday, the former governor met Kangema MP Peter Kihungi, who had been Gachagua's ally but has since defected to Kindiki's camp after attending his meeting in Karen. "In our mission of ensuring service delivery to all Kenyans, we will continue collaborating with all like-minded leaders from across the board from time to time," said Wa Iria after meeting Kihungi.

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