Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has said Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna must seek the support of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua if he hopes to gain political traction in the Mt Kenya region.
Kang'ata said political realities in the region require leaders seeking influence to engage key opinion leaders, including Gachagua.
"Sifuna cannot go far without consulting regional elders. Like where I come from, he needs to talk to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (Wamunyoro) because without Wamunyoro's blessings, he cannot go beyond him. That is real politics," Kang'ata said during an interview at Citizen TV.
This comes amid growing cooperation between leaders associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement and opposition figures seeking to broaden their support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Despite his advice to Sifuna, Kang'ata spoke warmly of the senator, describing him as a longtime friend and former university classmate.
The governor revealed that their relationship dates back to their days at the University of Nairobi, where they were actively involved in student politics alongside Embakasi East MP Babu Owino under the mentorship of Siaya Governor James Orengo.
"Somebody told me that he thinks the reason I joined Linda Mwananchi is that I am going back to my student politics days, and I think he was somehow right," Kang'ata said.
"Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, we were in that cohort, and James Orengo was our mentor. Sifuna is my former classmate at UoN."
Kang'ata said he would be willing to support Sifuna's political ambitions if the opportunity arose.
"If I can do anything for Sifuna just to push him
ahead, I would be so glad to do so as a friend," he added.
The Murang'a Governor also defended his decision to join the Linda Mwananchi movement, saying the country must move away from regional and tribal politics and focus on issues affecting all Kenyans.
Kang'ata dismissed suggestions that his appearance alongside opposition leaders signalled a betrayal of the Mount Kenya region.
He, however, said the movement offers a platform for leaders to unite around common national concerns.
"I view Linda like the free market of Kenyan politics, where there are no barriers of entry and barriers of exit. Come in, get out, as you wish," Kang'ata said.
The governor said his participation in the movement was intended to send a message that leaders should think beyond their regions and work together to address challenges facing the country.
Kang'ata said Kenya's political discourse should shift from ethnic and regional interests to issue-based politics.
"We must think beyond our regions. We must think of ourselves as Kenyans. When Parliament passes huge taxes, they are not written on Mount Kenya or Nyanza. They affect all Kenyans equally. When we have unemployment, it is not written Murang'a, it is written Kenyan," he said.
"When you talk about failure to fund education adequately, it's about every Kenyan child going to school. Once we evolve as a society where we look at politics as issues, as opposed to a region or a tribe, we'll be much ahead.”
