- Gachagua accuses a faction of Mount Kenya leaders of betraying the region’s unity.
- He alleges a plot by President Ruto’s allies to create small parties and weaken the mountain’s influence.
- The former DP vows to name and shame “traitors” publicly.
- Governor Anne Waiguru is accused of forming a new political party.
- Gachagua also criticises the silence over rice imports hurting Mwea farmers.
- Martha Karua insists the opposition remains united ahead of 2027.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has promised to publicly identify and shame what he calls a network of “traitors” working with President William Ruto to divide the Mount Kenya region ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during a Sunday service in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, Gachagua alleged that there is a coordinated plot within the Kenya Kwanza government to encourage the formation of smaller regional parties, a move he says is meant to scatter Mount Kenya’s votes and weaken its political strength.
“Wherever I go in the mountain, I will call out the traitors by name. Whether male or female, we will expose them so that our people know who is selling out our community,” Gachagua told the congregation.
The former DP accused Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru of planning to form a new political outfit under the President’s guidance, hinting that the move was part of a wider scheme to dilute Mount Kenya’s influence.
“I know Waiguru has been told to form a party. That’s a wheelbarrow. When you see that party, know it’s a wheelbarrow,” he said in reference to Ruto’s UDA symbol.
Gachagua added that women leaders in the region who support the President’s camp will not be spared his criticism, saying loyalty should first lie with the community.
“Our women leaders betraying us will also be named. A traitor is a traitor; there is no gender difference,” he declared.
The former DP also lashed out at Mount Kenya leaders for what he termed as their silence on the government’s decision to allow rice imports, which he said has hurt local farmers in Mwea, Kenya’s main rice-growing area.
He accused leaders of prioritising loyalty to the government over the economic welfare of their people, insisting that they had the power to oppose the policy but chose to remain quiet.
Among those in attendance was Martha Karua, leader of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), who dismissed claims of cracks within the Azimio coalition.
“There’s no disunity in the opposition. We have one agenda, and we will soon announce our candidate for 2027,” Karua assured.
Gachagua’s remarks came shortly after he accused President Ruto of double standards for meeting KANU Chairman Gideon Moi while criticising his own efforts to mobilise Mount Kenya voters.
“When I mobilise the mountain, I’m called a tribalist. But when others do it elsewhere, it’s called national unity. That’s hypocrisy,” he lamented.
The growing rift between Ruto and Gachagua signals deepening tension within Kenya Kwanza, as both leaders seek dominance over Mount Kenya’s political base.
As the 2027 race draws closer, Gachagua’s vow to “name and shame” could either rally regional unity or deepen divisions, setting up a fierce battle for the mountain’s loyalty and leadership.
