A heated political storm is brewing in the Mt Kenya region as allies of President William Ruto have launched a scathing attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, urging residents to reject his alleged attempts to destabilize the Kenya Kwanza government.
Speaking during an empowerment event held in Mathira — Gachagua’s political backyard — National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah led a group of vocal Kenya Kwanza legislators in calling out what they termed as “divisive and retrogressive politics.”
Ichung’wah accused Gachagua of pushing a self-serving narrative aimed at derailing the progress of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), a key pillar of President Ruto’s administration.
“For us, we want to focus on the agenda we promised the people of Kenya — the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” said Ichung’wah. “There are others who want to drag us back into politics of hatred and division. To them we say: we have no time.”
The remarks come just days before the expected launch of a political party reportedly linked to Gachagua — a move many see as a direct challenge to President Ruto’s leadership and unity within the Mt Kenya voting bloc.
The lawmakers reminded the Mt Kenya electorate of the promises made during the 2022 campaigns, warning them not to be swayed by those they say are only interested in personal political survival.
“This is not the time for tribal kingpins or power games. It is the time for development, unity, and keeping the government accountable on its promises,” one MP said.
The political rift highlights growing tensions within the Kenya Kwanza coalition, with Gachagua’s silence on his party’s alleged formation fuelling speculation over a looming showdown between him and President Ruto’s inner circle.
As the country inches closer to the 2027 general election, the battle for Mt Kenya’s political soul appears to be intensifying — and the gloves are clearly off.
