Barely 24 hours after President Ruto made the joke about regional kingpins his deputy stormed Kiambu County accompanied by over 30 MPs in a show of power and unity meant to send a strong message to the president and allies. The event was designed to prove to President Ruto and his handlers that the DP still has ears, eyes, and support from the people of Mt. Kenya and that whoever wants to gain politically from the region must seek his blessings and must do so through him
By The Weekly Vision Team
Barely a week after President William Ruto casually made a joke about regional kingpins, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua has come out gun-blazing by indirectly responding to his boss over the issue. The DP went public in response to President Ruto by distancing himself from the debate. Mockingly, the DP explained to the faithful that there is no position of a kingpin in the constitution of Kenya and that he does not know where that office is located or even where the holder(s) drew their salaries from.
Analysts say this was a direct response to the president, and in doing so, he was simply telling his boss that he is not bothered by the talk as long as he remains Deputy President and therefore the de facto Mt. Kenya kingpin.
But barely 24 hours after Ruto’s joke on kingpins when welcoming King Charles III, the DP stormed Kiambu County, accompanied by over 30 MPs. This was a show of power and unity meant to send a strong message to the president and allies. The event was designed to prove to President Ruto and his handlers that he still has ears, eyes, and support for the mountain and that whoever wants to gain politically from the region must seek his blessings and must do so through him.
President Ruto’s political strategy since assuming office has been to minimize the influence regional kingpins wield on the voter. The seemingly unhappy DP was quick to dismiss the kingpin’s debate and responded as if the president made the remarks with him in mind. Of late, there has been a debate about the issue after former President Uhuru Kenyatta bowed out of the political scene. Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga has of late attempted to fill that void by organizing high-profile events in the region.
To counter Maina Njenga, DP Gachagua has made several attempts to reach out to Uhuru Kenyatta for his blessings as the region’s de facto leader. Still, the move has hit a concrete wall after the former president snubbed his advances. President Ruto, according to sources, has also been burning the midnight oil to ensure his deputy fails in his efforts to take direct control of the region. According to the president’s handlers, their boss spent a fortune making inroads into the region in the run-up to the last presidential elections; he therefore believes he is the region’s kingpin. To dilute his deputy’s perceived influence in the region, he strategically placed his loyalists to checkmate Mr. Gachagua in the region.
But why did Gachagua have to rally the entire Mount Kenya leadership behind him, and what did the meeting achieve politically? It is now obvious that the meeting was to show the nation that he has stamped his authority on Mount Kenya and in Mount Kenya politics. The choice of Kiambu for the rally was also significant politically, sending a powerful statement to President Ruto. The absence of Ndindi Nyoro, Moses Kuria, and Kiambu Women Rep. Gathoni wa Muchomba in the DP’s meeting sent warning signals to his camp.
As for Moses Kuria, who unsuccessfully ran for the Kiambu gubernatorial race and lost to the embattled Kimani Wa Matangi, his absence was planned since he did not have time for the DP, who supported Wa Matangi against him in the last general elections. Ndindi Nyoro is a close Ruto ally, and a section of Mount Kenya leaders have been pushing for his nomination as Ruto’s possible running mate in 2027. He could therefore not attend such an event where the DP was out to stamp his authority. As for Muchomba, she has been a thorn in the flesh for both Ruto and Gachagua, and her absence was widely expected.
The fact of the matter is that the DP is now telling President Ruto that he is ready to play politics and ready for a political faceoff with his boss. Analysts now say the Ruto handlers are closely watching Gachagua’s political moves, and it is now a matter of time before the gloves finally come off.
