By Anderson Ojwang
The Mt Kenya political landscape is fast taking a different trajectory with the closing of ranks of the top leaders from the region.
It was the first time in a public function that the jovial and laughing former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his former personal assistant and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua shared a podium.
In Kirinyaga county, at the burial of former senator David Karaba, witnessed two top leaders from Mt Kenya, former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, close ranks.
It was a rebirth of Mt Kenya unity, with Gachagua first apologizing to the community for having misled them to disregard Uhuru Kenyatta in the 2022 elections and leading them in supporting President Ruto in the elections.
In the 2022 general elections, Uhuru Kenyatta supported the Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate, the late Raila Odinga, against the UDA candidate of President William Ruto and Gachagua as the running mate, but lost in the presidential contest.
For instance, in Kirinyaga county, the home turf of Raila’s running mate Martha Karua, Ruto got 84 percent of the votes accounting for 220,752 votes, while Raila got a paltry 14 percent accounting for 37,978 of the votes.
In Kiambu county, the home ground of President Uhuru, Ruto managed 72.9 percent of the votes amounting to 606,105 votes, while Raila only managed 25 percent accounting for 210,495.
Again in Nyeri county, Raila’s village, Ruto received 82.79 percent of the votes amounting to 272,577 votes, while Raila got 15.3 percent accounting for 52,043 votes.
Finally, in Murang’a, Ruto got 81 percent of the votes accounting for 343,421, while Raila got a paltry 17 percent that accounted for 73,539 votes.
Gachagua dismissed allegations that he cannot work with former President Uhuru, terming them as wishful thinking.
“They say Uhuru cannot work with Riggy. You think you are one of us. You don’t know us. We are a family and Uhuru is my elder brother,” he said.
Gachagua said he diligently served Uhuru as a personal assistant and highly respects him.
“I have been Uhuru’s personal assistant. I have worked with him for 20 years. We only differed for three years,” he said.
Gachagua said it was President William Ruto who sowed a seed of division between Uhuru and him and that now they have reconciled and have remained as a family.
“It is you who divided us. You came with a bible and conned us. I blame myself. I misled my people. I want to tell our people that we must be very smart not to allow Ruto to divide us along Mt Kenya East and West. I cannot allow him. Kikuyu and Merus are one community,” he said.
Gachagua said the Mt Kenya community cannot make the mistake of 1992, when former President Daniel Moi divided the two leading leaders, the late Mwai Kibaki of Democratic Party and the late Kenneth Matiba of Ford-Asili, and they lost in the presidential election.
“Our vote is useful when it is one. We have gone a step further to look for our cousins. We have no problem with Luos and that is why 1.3 million Kikuyus voted for Raila in the 2022 elections,” he said.
“After we won, it is me who took the first step. I took the very courageous step to apologize to the President for whatever I could have said that would find a name, and it was forgiven,” he said.
Recently KTN revealed that Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka successfully brokered a political handshake between retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and DAP-K party leader Rigathi Gachagua ahead of the 2027 general election.
KTN also revealed that former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo played a key role in mediating talks that led to a ceasefire between the two leaders, with the deal reached in Nigeria early last month.
The allies of Uhuru have softened toward Gachagua, with Jubilee Party deputy party leader Jeremiah Kioni visiting him at his Karen residence, praising Gachagua as the undisputed king of the mountain.
Kioni said what Gachagua has achieved in one year in opposition surpasses what the late Raila Odinga accomplished in his lifetime in opposition.
Former Gatanga MP David Murathe has also softened toward Gachagua, even expressing confidence in him, saying that he is the most suitable United Opposition principal to unseat President William Ruto in 2027.
Uhuru, on his side, has cautioned members of his party against attacking Gachagua, warning that anybody who does so risks being expelled from the party.
Uhuru asked leaders to unite and avoid public insults which could plunge the country into chaos.
“Our leaders, do not insult one another. Kenyans want direction. We must fight for unity for peace and stability. Kenya is good to be united. Raila and I wanted to unite the country, to be governed by policies and principles,” he said.
