By Remmy Butta
Rigathi Gachagua, the impeached former Deputy President, has embarked on a mission.
Ostensibly, it’s about “uniting the Mountain.”
He cloaks his pronouncements in the language of regional solidarity, positioning himself as the singular champion of Mt. Kenya’s interests.
But Kenyans must see this narrative for what it truly is: a calculated, self-serving strategy built on a foundation of false premises and dangerous exclusion. Kenya is bigger than Rigathi Gachagua, and far bigger than any single region.
The False Premise: “The Mountain” as a Monolith Under Siege
Gachagua’s entire edifice rests on the deliberate construction of a myth: that Mt. Kenya is a homogenous entity facing existential threats requiring his unique brand of “unifying” leadership. This narrative is fundamentally flawed.
Diversity Within: Mt. Kenya is not a monolith. It encompasses diverse communities, economic strata, political opinions, and aspirations. Gachagua presumes to speak for millions whose voices he has not genuinely sought, silencing internal dissent and complexity under the banner of imposed “unity.”
“Us vs. Them” Manufactured: His rhetoric implicitly, and often explicitly, pits “Mt. Kenya” against the rest of Kenya. He frames national discourse as a zero-sum game where the region’s gain comes at others’ expense, or vice versa. This is a toxic, outdated, and deliberately divisive tactic.
Exaggerated Siege Mentality: By constantly amplifying perceived slights or threats (real or imagined) to the region, Gachagua fosters an unhealthy siege mentality. This distracts from substantive issues and fuels unnecessary tension.
The Real Agenda: Personal Rehabilitation and Political Survival
The fervent cries for “unity” ring hollow when viewed through the lens of Gachagua’s own political trajectory:
The Shadow of Impeachment: Gachagua was impeached as Deputy President. This is not a minor footnote; it’s a significant mark questioning his fitness for high office and judgment. His current crusade is, first and foremost, an attempt at political rehabilitation, laundering his image by portraying himself as a regional savior.
Power Consolidation: By positioning himself as the indispensable voice of Mt. Kenya, he seeks to corner the region’s political influence. This is about controlling votes, resources, and wielding power, not fostering genuine regional development or national harmony.
2027 Calculations: His sudden, intense focus on “uniting the mountain” is nakedly transactional. It’s laying the groundwork for his perceived relevance and potential candidacy in the next election cycle, using the region as a steppingstone for personal ambition.
Kenya is More Than 50 million Reasons to Reject This Narrative
Gachagua’s narrative deliberately shrinks Kenya. He acts as if the concerns, needs, and futures of over 50 million Kenyans outside his chosen mountain are secondary, or worse, adversarial. This is not only arrogant but profoundly dangerous:
National Cohesion Undermined: True unity is built on recognizing our shared Kenyan identity, celebrating diversity, and seeking common ground. Gachagua’s brand of “unity” does the opposite – it deepens fissures and entrenches ethnic and regional fault lines for his gain.
Distraction from Real Issues: While Gachagua obsesses over “uniting the mountain,” Kenyans across all regions grapple with the crushing weight of the high cost of living, unemployment, corruption, inadequate healthcare, and climate change impacts. His narrative is a noisy diversion from the tangible struggles of ordinary citizens nationwide.
The Danger of Tribal Kingpins: Kenya’s history is scarred by the destructive politics of tribal kingpins who prioritized ethnic mobilization over national progress. Gachagua’s rhetoric is a regressive echo of this dark past, threatening to roll back decades of efforts towards a more cohesive nation.
The Path Forward: Rejecting Division, Embracing Kenya
The people of Mt. Kenya, like all Kenyans, deserve leaders who offer more than narrow, self-serving agendas disguised as unity. They deserve leaders who:
Focus on Tangible Development: Address economic hardships, create jobs, improve infrastructure, and deliver services within the region and nationally.
Build Bridges, Not Walls: Actively seek partnerships and collaboration with other regions for mutual benefit and national advancement.
Uphold National Values: Champion integrity, inclusivity, and the rule of law – values essential for all Kenyans.
Respect Kenyan Diversity: Recognize that Kenya’s strength lies in its rich tapestry of cultures and regions, non-superior, all essential.
Rigathi Gachagua’s “unity” campaign for Mt. Kenya is a Trojan horse.
Behind the facade of regional solidarity lies a project of personal rehabilitation, political ambition, and divisive ethnic mobilization.
It is a narrative that deliberately diminishes the importance of the other 50 million Kenyans and threatens the fragile fabric of national cohesion.
Kenyans, especially those within Mt. Kenya, must see through this charade.
True leadership serves the nation, not just a constituency weaponized for personal gain.
Kenya’s future depends on rejecting the politics of exclusion and embracing a vision where every citizen, from the coast to the lake, from the northern deserts to the slopes of Mt. Kenya, matters equally.
The mountain is part of Kenya’s majestic landscape, but Kenya is infinitely greater than any one mountain or the ambitions of one impeached politician. Let us focus on building that greater Kenya, together.
