A fierce political showdown is unfolding in Mt Kenya, with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua firing explosive claims at President William Ruto.
In a fiery speech delivered Saturday, May 17, in Murang’a County, Gachagua accused the Head of State of masterminding a plot to splinter the region’s vote ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to Gachagua, Ruto is quietly bankrolling three Mt Kenya-based parties — Moses Kuria’s Chama Cha Kazi (CCK), Mwangi Kiunjuri’s The Service Party (TSP), and William Kabogo’s Tujibebe Wakenya Party — all in a calculated bid to dilute the region’s political unity and influence.
“Ruto is behind all of them — Kuria’s party, Kiunjuri’s party, Kabogo’s party — they’re all his creations,” Gachagua claimed, adding that two more Ruto-backed parties are being incubated in Murang’a. “Any new party that’s not DCP, just know it’s Ruto’s work.”
The former DP further alleged that the President’s strategy extends beyond party sponsorship. He claimed Ruto intends to fund youthful presidential aspirants from Mt Kenya to fragment the vote and thwart any serious challenge to his re-election bid.
In a bold counter-move, Gachagua rallied the region to throw their weight behind his newly unveiled political outfit — the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP). He described it as a homegrown vehicle through which Mt Kenya can reclaim its political voice and forge alliances with other regions to shape Kenya’s future leadership.
But the gloves quickly came off.
Moses Kuria, now a senior adviser to President Ruto in the Council of Economic Advisors, hit back at Gachagua with a scathing warning. He accused the former deputy president of deceit and political sabotage, cautioning him against picking battles he cannot win.
“You’re misleading our people — again — and destroying parties we’ve built from the ground up,” Kuria retorted.
“When you were blindly in love with William Ruto, we were building CCK. Don’t start a war you can’t finish. And please, match up with your political peers like Kimani Ichung’wah. I’m your senior — respect your elders.”
