Former Deputy President speaks to residents of Kamwangi Market, Gatundu North in Kiambu county on June 1, 2025. /RIGATHI GACHAGUA/X
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has lashed out at Members of Parliament from the Mount Kenya region for being 'blindly' loyal to his former boss, President William Ruto.
Speaking on Sunday at AIPCA Gatumbi in Lari Constituency, Kiambu, Gachagua described the MPs in strongly-worded remarks, terming their loyalty to the President an "embarrassment" to the region.
"They say yes to everything William Ruto says," Gachagua said, warning that the legislators risk facing the wrath of the people at the ballot.
"Na nyinyi muendelee tu, mtakutana na hawa wananchi (Just continue, you will meet with these citizens)," he said.
Gachagua's remarks are likely to open a new war front with Mt Kenya MPs, barely a year after they overwhelmingly supported his removal from office.
The former DP has on many occasions explicitly called for the rejection of lawmakers who supported his removal from office, framing their actions as betrayal to the people of Mt Kenya.
In January 2025, the former DP embarked on an aggressive campaign across Mount Kenya constituencies, urging residents to vote out the said sitting MPs.
Prior to his impeachment in October 2024, Gachagua issued a firm ultimatum to MPs from the Mount Kenya region to either support his political agenda or risk facing dire consequences at the ballot box.
In a statement made during a rally at Wakulima Market in Nairobi on September 20, 2024, Gachagua told off those undermining his authority, emphasising that his mandate came directly from the people of Kenya, not from Parliament.
He downplayed the ouster threats, saying the electorate had the last say.
"I was elected by Kenyans. It is those Kenyans who can remove me from the seat when the time comes."
"The other day, they brought together MPs and gave the money. They bribed them to intimidate me," he further alleged.
Gachagua compared dissenting politicians to "home guards"—a historical reference to colonial-era collaborators—and vowed to expose those undermining regional unity.
His message was clear: MPs who failed to align with his leadership risked being publicly named and losing their political standing.
This move was part of Gachagua’s broader strategy to strengthen his influence within Mount Kenya politics amid simmering differences with his boss.
The tension arising from the threats heightened divisions within the Kenya Kwanza coalition and played a role in the political events that culminated in his removal from office.
Pro-Gachagua factions have continued to emphasise loyalty to Mt Kenya's identity and interests, while others argue that aligning with President Ruto and Kithure Kindiki is more pragmatic.
Recently, Kindiki warned Gachagua against threatening sitting MPs with ousters and inciting masses against the incumbents.
Kindiki said the time for politics would come and that the government wouldn’t allow anyone to derail its plans with premature competitive politics.
