A fierce political fallout is escalating in the Mt. Kenya region after former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu launched a scathing attack on his former boss, Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of hypocrisy following the tense Mbeere North by-election. Wambugu’s sharp critique came after Gachagua publicly denied sponsoring a candidate in the mini-poll, a claim Wambugu labelled as a calculated political trick.

The public feud strikes at the heart of a larger battle for political dominance in the region, a critical voting bloc. The Mbeere North by-election, where the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Leonard Wamuthende secured a victory by a slim margin of just 494 votes, was widely seen as a litmus test for Gachagua's influence following his departure from the Deputy President's office. Wambugu alleges that Gachagua is now distancing himself from the race to avoid the embarrassment of a near-loss.

A War of Words and Influence

Speaking during a church service in Kariobangi North, Gachagua urged his supporters not to be concerned by the Mbeere North outcome, stating his party, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), did not officially field a candidate. He clarified that his presence in the constituency was to support the Democratic Party (DP) candidate, Newton Karish. However, Wambugu swiftly countered this narrative through a series of social media posts.

“If Karish had won, Gachagua would have driven to Mbeere at night to collect the certificate,” Wambugu wrote, suggesting the former DP would have claimed the victory as his own. “Now that he lost, Gachagua ‘didn’t have a candidate’.” This public confrontation highlights the deepening divisions and shifting allegiances within Mt. Kenya politics as leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 general election.

High Stakes in a Small Constituency

The Mbeere North by-election was more than a local contest; it became a proxy battleground for national political figures. The seat, which has only 55,124 registered voters, attracted heavyweights, turning into a test of President William Ruto's grip on the region against the influence of his former deputy. The key players were:

• Leonard Wamuthende (UDA): The eventual winner, backed by the ruling party and its machinery.
• Newton Karish (DP): The runner-up, supported by an opposition coalition that included Gachagua.
• Duncan Mbui (Chama cha Kazi): A distant third, representing another political force in the contest.

The intense campaign was marred by accusations of voter intimidation and violence from rival camps, underscoring the high stakes involved. For many Kenyans, this political infighting is a distraction from the pressing issues of economic hardship and the need for development-focused leadership.

The Future of the Mountain

Wambugu, who has become a vocal critic of Gachagua's leadership style, argues that the former DP's attempt to consolidate power under his new party is damaging the region's political diversity. Analysts suggest the narrow UDA win in Mbeere North signals a potential decline in Gachagua's undisputed influence, with leaders like Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku stating the result cements Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as a new political force in the area. As the dust settles on this by-election, the political realignments in Mt. Kenya are far from over, with the outcome likely to have significant repercussions for the 2027 power matrix.