EMBU — In the high-stakes theater of Mount Kenya politics, the curtain has fallen on the Mbeere North by-election, but the shouting match backstage is just beginning. Moses Kuria, Senior Economic Advisor to President William Ruto, has launched a scathing, sarcasm-laced counterattack against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, dismissing allegations that he was deployed as a political mercenary to split the opposition vote.

The verbal artillery comes days after UDA’s Leonard Muriuki Wa Muthende narrowly clinched the seat with 15,802 votes, edging out the Gachagua-backed Newton Kariuki (Karish) who garnered 15,308. The razor-thin margin of 494 votes has turned the spotlight on the third contender, Duncan Mbui of Kuria’s Chama Cha Kazi (CCK), who walked away with a decisive 2,480 votes—enough to have theoretically swung the victory to Gachagua’s camp.

The 'Spoiler' Accusation

For Gachagua, the math is bitter proof of betrayal. The former Deputy President, now the de facto leader of the emerging 'United Opposition' in the region, has publicly alleged that Kuria’s fielding of a candidate was a calculated move by the State House machinery to fracture the mountain vote. According to Gachagua’s allies, the CCK candidate was never in the race to win, but to ensure the opposition lost.

“They sent their project to divide our house,” Gachagua reportedly told supporters in Ishiara, referring to Kuria’s intervention. “When the mountain tries to speak with one voice, they send confusion.”

Kuria’s ‘Bra’ Retort

Never one to shy away from a brawl, Kuria took to X (formerly Twitter) to dismantle the accusation with his trademark abrasive wit. He questioned why a registered political party should be vilified for participating in the democratic process.

“CCK was formed on August 17, 2021. We have been around long before other parties,” Kuria fired back. “To the best of my knowledge, the business of parties is sponsoring candidates. Should we branch off and start selling bras?”

Kuria’s defense hinges on a crucial timeline of events that he claims Gachagua is conveniently ignoring:

• The Rejection: Kuria claims his candidate, Duncan Mbui, was initially seeking the ticket from Gachagua’s coalition but was unceremoniously dropped.
• The Adoption: CCK only picked Mbui after he was politically orphaned by the opposition camp.
• The Hypocrisy: Kuria pointed out that while UDA managed to unite all its nomination losers behind the eventual winner, the opposition failed to consolidate its own house.

“I am amused by those saying the CCK party and I were on a mission to divide votes,” Kuria noted. “How does the almighty holy united opposition allow UDA to garner 15,000-plus votes in the Mt Kenya region and then blame one with only 2,480 votes?”

A Proxy War for 2027

The Mbeere North contest was never just about a parliamentary seat; it was a litmus test for the region’s loyalty ahead of the 2027 General Election. The seat fell vacant after the elevation of Geoffrey Ruku to the Cabinet as Public Service Cabinet Secretary—a move seen as President Ruto’s strategy to maintain a grip on Embu County following the impeachment of Gachagua.

Analysts observe that while UDA retained the seat, the narrow margin signals a shifting ground. The fact that the opposition, led by the impeached DP, could marshal over 15,000 votes against the ruling party’s machine suggests the region is no longer a monolithic voting bloc.

“This was a warning shot,” says political analyst Mark Bichachi. “Kuria may mock the numbers, but the fact that a spoiler candidate was needed—if indeed that was the strategy—shows the government is sweating to hold onto the Mountain.”

As the dust settles in Embu, the animosity between the two former allies turned bitter foes—Kuria and Gachagua—serves as a preview of the bruising battles to come. For the common mwananchi in Mbeere, however, the political calculus matters less than the promise of development that both sides campaigned on.