By Billy Mijungu
When President William Ruto kicked off his tour of the Mountain in Laikipia, many dismissed it as yet another political roadshow. Few could see the master plan unfolding. His choice of Laikipia, cosmopolitan, strategically located, and politically neutral, was deliberate. It was a signal to the nation and, more importantly, to the Kikuyu people, that the man from Sugoi still had the Mountain in his grasp.
Word quickly spread that this was not your usual tour. Attending a Ruto rally was more than political; it was economic. Tales flowed of how one’s household shopping for two weeks would be sorted just by showing up and listening. There was no need to struggle, no need to ask, just be present.
The brilliance of this campaign was not just Ruto’s, but also a borrowed page from his deputy Rigathi Gachagua’s own playbook. Women, often the unsung foot soldiers of our politics, were mobilized into thousands strong groups in every region visited. Loyalty was rewarded, not with empty promises, but with cold, hard cash. The message was clear: politics is no longer about ideology or vision; it is about who brings the money.
To eliminate dissent, the campaign moved to the streets. The boda boda riders, often the first to heckle, disrupt, or stir controversy, were bought out. Paid to remain silent, paid to attend, and paid to ferry supporters four at a time to every gathering. It was a meticulous operation, designed to show strength, unity, and unshakable support.
And once the stage was set, Ruto turned his gaze to Gachagua. Shielded from noise, backed by orchestrated loyalty, he confronted the mountain’s leadership with one message: cash is king. Development talk was secondary. The currency of this tour was money and the optics of power.
Kiambu proved a slight hiccup. Leaders were shouted down, exposing raw nerves. It was the lowest moment in the tour but a telling one. The people sent a message: If we don’t want your people, we don’t want you either, but we will let you speak. That alone tells us more about the shifting tides in the Mountain than any poll could.
Now, all eyes turn to the Mbeere North by election. It is more than just a seat. It is the barometer of where the Mountain’s heart truly lies. If Ruto’s strategy holds, then the age of ideas is over. We have entered the era where the vote goes to the highest bidder.
In this Mountain conquest, one truth stands above all: Cash is King.
