Political Fault Lines Deepen in Mt Kenya

NAIROBI – City lawyer Wahome Thuku has issued a direct challenge to the political establishment in the Mt Kenya region, calling for a complete ouster of President William Ruto and his political allies in the upcoming 2027 general election. In a widely circulated Facebook post on Sunday, November 16, 2025, Thuku argued that merely removing the President from power would be insufficient, warning against what he termed a “dangerous betrayal” of the cause for change if the President’s regional supporters are allowed to retain their positions.

“One, kicking out Kasongo (Ruto) is not enough, we must kick him out with ALL his footsoldiers and sidekicks in the mountain,” Thuku stated, emphasizing the need for a total political overhaul in the region. He expressed concern that voters might be swayed into a scenario where they vote out the President but retain the very Members of Parliament and other leaders who facilitated his rise to power. “What I am, however, realising is that you just want to kick out Kasongo (Ruto) and retain his footsoldiers. It's like I am one of the few people who want him to go plus his eggs,” he wrote.

A Region in Political Flux

Thuku's call comes at a time of significant political turbulence within the Mt Kenya region, which voted overwhelmingly for President Ruto in the 2022 elections, securing him a critical 87% of the vote. However, the political landscape has since been reshaped by a contentious fallout between the President and the former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, who was impeached in October 2024. Gachagua has since rebranded himself as an opposition figure, launching the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) and actively mobilizing the region against the President.

This has created a volatile environment where loyalty is divided. Leaders from Kirinyaga County, for instance, on Sunday, November 17, 2025, urged residents to continue supporting the Kenya Kwanza administration, cautioning against the “political noise” driven by the opposition. This sentiment reflects a broader strategy by Ruto's allies to maintain their grip on the region amidst growing dissent.

Echoes of 2022 and a Warning for 2027

In his statement, Wahome Thuku drew parallels to the 2022 election, reminding his audience of the political dynamics that led to President Ruto's victory in the region. “A million of us in Mt Kenya tried to stop him in 2022, but you all voted for him, and now you are back here lecturing us. That is behind us now. In 2027, we must undo your mess,” he declared. This reflects a narrative of caution against repeating what he perceives as past electoral misjudgments.

The lawyer’s assertion that some residents in Kikuyu Constituency are now embracing Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah even more strongly underscores his fear that the electorate might not be connecting the President's performance with his key allies on the ground. This dynamic is central to his call for a more comprehensive political shift in the region.

The Broader Political Context

The political realignments in Mt Kenya are not happening in a vacuum. Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu has been a vocal critic of the evolving political situation, recently stating that the region needs a clear strategy rather than being caught in simplistic political binaries. He has also been critical of Gachagua's approach, suggesting a need for more nuanced political leadership.

Meanwhile, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has been actively countering narratives that challenge its authority. In a recent statement on November 13, 2025, UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar dismissed allegations from Rigathi Gachagua about a state-sponsored plot against him as “panic-driven” and baseless, indicating a no-holds-barred political environment.

As the 2027 election cycle draws closer, the political discourse in the Mt Kenya region is set to intensify. Wahome Thuku's call for a complete ouster of President Ruto and his allies adds a significant voice to the growing chorus of dissent. The extent to which this call will resonate with the electorate remains to be seen, but it undeniably highlights the deep political fissures that have emerged in one of Kenya's most crucial voting blocs. The implications for the national political landscape are profound, as a fractured Mt Kenya could significantly alter the electoral calculus for all major political players. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED on the direct responses from President Ruto's allies to Thuku's statement to provide a more complete picture of the political fallout.