A growing number of Mt Kenya leaders are openly distancing themselves from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, citing alleged intimidation, coercive politics, and divisive leadership as key reasons behind the widening fallout. The latest to break ranks is Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, whose sharp criticism reflects a broader rebellion within the region’s political class.
On Monday, January 5, Wamuchomba accused Gachagua of persistently pressuring and intimidating her to abandon the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and defect to his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP). In a strongly worded statement on X, the legislator said she could no longer remain silent about what she described as political bullying.
“Now Wamunyoro is attempting to intimidate me through coercion and constant assaults to join DCP. I need to lay bare facts for him,” Wamuchomba wrote.
According to the MP, Gachagua has allegedly deployed close allies to pressure Mt Kenya leaders who have refused to follow him into the opposition. She singled out Nyandarua Senator John Methu and Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa, accusing them of acting as proxies to demean and intimidate pro-government politicians in the region.
“He is using Senator Karungo to demean those not in the ‘Mlima’ party, yet Karungo remains a UDA senator loudly marketing another party,” she said.
Questioning the strength of Gachagua’s new political outfit, Ms Wamuchomba challenged its promoters to resign from their current seats and seek fresh mandates under DCP. “I am not joining that party. I am in UDA until 2027,” she stated firmly.
The backlash against Gachagua is not limited to sitting MPs. Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria also launched a scathing attack, branding the former DP a failed leader unfit to represent Mt Kenya or hold national leadership.
“Dear Kenyans. I am an Kikuyu. Rigathi Gachagua is a Kikuyu. Any non Kikuyu voting for a team where Rigathi Gachagua is a member of needs to have their heads checked. I have this evening called Babu Owino and passed this message to him,” Kuria remarked.
Notably, Wamuchomba was once a vocal defender of Gachagua, making her public break emblematic of a deeper loss of confidence. Other former allies, including ex-Laikipia MP Cate Waruguru, who previously aligned with Gachagua’s anti-Ruto stance, have also gone silent or withdrawn – underscoring a growing isolation of the former deputy president within his own backyard.