In the shadowy theater of Mt. Kenya politics, a new duo has emerged as the battering ram against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina and her husband, Mathira MP Erick Wamumbi, have been dubbed "The Untouchables"—a power couple allegedly operating with the tacit blessing of the State House to checkmate the DP in his own backyard.

The couple’s names have become synonymous with the chaos trailing the Deputy President. From heckling incidents to the recent teargassing of a church service in Othaya, Maina and Wamumbi are consistently placed at the scene of the crime by Gachagua’s allies. Their rapid rise from relative obscurity to becoming the de facto face of the anti-Gachagua forces suggests they are not acting alone. "They are the gloves, but the hand is in State House," claims a Gachagua confidant.

The Mathira Betrayal

For Gachagua, the sting is personal. Erick Wamumbi succeeded him as Mathira MP, handpicked by Gachagua himself. That his political protégé has turned into his chief tormentor is a Shakespearean betrayal that has weakened the DP’s home base. Wamumbi, emboldened by his marriage to the fiery Betty Maina, has openly defied the DP, hosting rival functions and championing the "development over politics" narrative favored by President Ruto.

• The Church Factor: The disruption of church services has crossed a red line for many in the region. The use of teargas at Witima ACK Church, where Gachagua was in attendance, was blamed on "youths mobilized by the power couple." While they deny involvement, the pattern of disruption at Gachagua’s events points to a coordinated strategy to humiliate the DP and strip him of his "Mt. Kenya Kingpin" status.
• State Protection? Despite numerous complaints filed by Gachagua’s security detail regarding these disruptions, no arrests have been made. This inaction fuels the theory that Maina and Wamumbi enjoy protection from the highest office, insulated from accountability as long as they keep the DP on the defensive.

A House Divided

The conflict threatens to tear the UDA party apart in Central Kenya. As the "Untouchables" ramp up their offensive, Gachagua is being forced into a corner. If he fights back, he risks a direct confrontation with his boss, the President. If he does nothing, he risks political extinction. For now, the power couple reigns supreme, the visible instruments of a cold war that is heating up by the day.