MURANG’A — The battle for the soul of Mount Kenya has entered a volatile new phase. Speaking from the political heartland of Murang’a on Tuesday, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua delivered his most stinging rebuke yet to President William Ruto, declaring that while the region may not have settled on a 2027 saviour, it has definitively identified its enemy.

“The mountain has decided,” Gachagua told mourners in Ithanga during the burial of Herbert Kariithi Macharia. “It has not decided who it will choose, but it has decided who it will chase away.”

The remarks, delivered in his signature combative style, mark a significant escalation in the standoff between the President and his impeached former deputy. With the 2027 General Election looming, Gachagua is positioning himself not just as a kingmaker, but as the gatekeeper of a vote bloc he claims has swelled to eight million strong.

The ‘Moi Moment’ Parallel

In a historical comparison that will likely unsettle State House, Gachagua likened President Ruto’s current political isolation to that of the late Daniel arap Moi in 1992. He argued that like Moi, who faced a hostile electorate and resorted to divide-and-rule tactics, Ruto is now attempting to fracture the mountain’s unity to survive.

“Ruto finds himself where Moi was in 1992—cornered,” Gachagua asserted. “Moi was cunning; he came to the mountain when the votes had rejected him. Today, Ruto is trying to plant ‘wheelbarrows’ to split us because he knows a united mountain sends him home.”

The “wheelbarrow” tag—once the proud symbol of the ruling UDA party—was weaponized by Gachagua to describe local politicians he accuses of being state puppets. He specifically named Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri and former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo as proxies deployed to fragment the region's voting power.

8 Million Votes in ‘One Basket’

For the average Kenyan trader or farmer in Central Kenya, these political machinations are more than just rhetoric; they signal a potential shift in resource allocation and regional stability. Gachagua, now leading the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), insisted that the region’s economic and political survival depends on casting its votes in “one basket.”

• The Numbers: Gachagua claims the region’s vote count will hit 8 million by 2027, up from the roughly 6 million recorded in 2022.
• The Alliance: He hinted at a solidified pact with the United Opposition, pledging to marshal these votes for a single candidate—widely speculated to be Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka—if the region cannot field its own.
• The Warning: “All the candidates Ruto supports here will collectively get 50,000 votes,” he scoffed.

The former DP’s pivot to Kalonzo Musyoka is a strategic gamble, aiming to marry the mountain’s tyranny of numbers with the Kamba community’s loyal base, a coalition that could prove mathematically insurmountable for the incumbent.

Economic Anxiety and Political retribution

Beyond the politics, the rift raises concerns about the stability of government projects in the region. Gachagua accused the President of launching “ghost projects” and taking credit for initiatives started by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. He warned residents against being swayed by handouts during Ruto’s expected tour of the region later this month.

“Do not accept a KES 200 bribe to sell your future,” he urged the crowd, referencing the tough economic times that have left many households vulnerable to political patronage. “If you must take their money, know that the price of your clapping should be higher—KES 3,000 for listening, KES 10,000 for ululating. But your vote remains yours.”

As the dust settles in Murang’a, the message to State House is unequivocal. The region that once served as Ruto’s political bedrock is rapidly calcifying into his biggest stumbling block. As Gachagua put it in his closing shot: “Ruto and his people are shining a light on me because of this mountain. They know if we stay united, there is no path for them.”