By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 26 April 2026 - In a charged political atmosphere in Mt Kenya region, President William Ruto has thrown down the gauntlet to his estranged former Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, declaring in no uncertain terms that the vote-rich Mount Kenya region will not be dictated to by any self-appointed kingmaker.
Speaking during his tour of Murang’a County, the President projected both defiance and confidence, insisting that sovereignty rests firmly with the people, not political intermediaries.
Ruto’s remarks were laced with thinly veiled disdain for Gachagua’s attempts to assert influence over the region’s electoral direction. “Mimi ni mfanyikazi wenu,” he proclaimed, casting himself as a servant of the people, before pointedly dismissing the notion that he should submit to another leader’s authority. “Kuna mwingine anasema ati niende nikuwe mfanyikazi wake… hiyo asahau kabisa.” In essence, the President was not merely rebutting criticism—he was repudiating the very premise that his political fate in Mount Kenya could be brokered by anyone other than the electorate itself. His message was unmistakable: he will engage voters directly, and they, in turn, will render judgment on his record.
Yet this bold assertion has not gone unanswered. Gachagua, increasingly vocal since his dramatic political fallout with the administration, has mounted a spirited counteroffensive. Touring Nyandarua County, he struck a tone of betrayal and caution, painting a picture of a region misled and subsequently marginalised. “I had a friend… whom I helped very much,” he lamented, in a remark widely interpreted as a direct reference to Ruto. The familiarity of “Riggy G and Baba Kevin” has now given way, he claims, to public disavowal and accusations of tribalism—a transformation he presents as both personal and political treachery.
More significantly, Gachagua has sought to reposition himself as a sentinel for Mount Kenya’s political vigilance. “Now we only depend on God because human beings are unpredictable,” he warned, adding that the region would henceforth subject any suitor to rigorous scrutiny. It is a narrative crafted to resonate with disillusionment: that of a bloc awakening to the perils of misplaced trust.
Beneath the rhetoric lies a deeper and more consequential contest.
Mount Kenya is not merely another electoral constituency; it is a fierce force capable of tilting national outcomes.
The unfolding duel between Ruto and Gachagua thus represents far more than a personal feud—it is a struggle for the allegiance of a region that has historically played kingmaker in Kenya’s political theatre.
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Ruto’s strategy appears rooted in incumbency and performance, urging voters to “pima kazi yangu” and judge him on delivery rather than sentiment.
Gachagua, by contrast, is cultivating a politics of grievance and caution, appealing to memory and perceived betrayal as tools of mobilisation.
One frames the future in terms of accountability; the other, in terms of lessons learned.
As the 2027 horizon looms ever closer, the implications of this schism are profound. Should Mount Kenya fracture along these competing narratives, the ripple effects could reshape alliances, recalibrate campaign strategies, and redefine the contours of the presidential race itself.
For now, however, the battle lines are starkly drawn: a sitting president determined to bypass intermediaries and speak directly to the people, and a former ally resolved to ensure that those same people do not forget what he portrays as a costly political miscalculation.
In this unfolding drama, one truth remains inescapable—Mount Kenya is no passive spectator. It is the prize.
Ruto Defies Gachagua in High-Stakes Battle for Mount Kenya’s Political Soul
Ruto maintains that he can't rely on political brokers to persuade Mt Kenya electorate