Ruto Rules Out Partnership With Gachagua Over Ethnic Politics

By The Weekly Vision Political Desk

President William Ruto has revealed why the political alliance that propelled him and his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, to power in 2022 collapsed, drawing a clear boundary on the kind of political partnerships he is willing to pursue ahead of the 2027 General Election.

In a recent State House interview, President Ruto said he remained open to working with leaders across the political divide but ruled out partnerships with individuals he accused of promoting ethnic mobilisation, divisive politics and rhetoric that undermines national unity. Although he did not name him directly, the remarks were widely interpreted as a reference to his former deputy, whose political strategy has increasingly centred on consolidating influence in the Mt Kenya region.

The comments offered the clearest explanation yet of the widening rift between the two leaders who, just four years earlier, had presented themselves as a united ticket built around the “hustler” movement and regional political balancing.

The fallout has transformed what was once a powerful electoral partnership into a contest over influence, loyalty and the future political direction of Mt Kenya. Gachagua’s supporters argue that he remains the region’s legitimate political voice and accuse the administration of sidelining Mt Kenya’s interests since the 2022 election.

Critics within government circles, however, view his approach as overly regional, arguing that his messaging risks deepening ethnic divisions at a time when President Ruto is attempting to expand his support base beyond traditional alliances. The tensions eventually culminated in Gachagua’s removal from office as Deputy President, ending one of the most consequential political partnerships in recent Kenyan history.

With 2027 succession politics beginning to take shape, Mt Kenya has emerged as one of the most contested political battlegrounds. The region, which delivered significant support to Ruto in 2022, remains strategically important because of its large voter population and its history of swaying presidential contests.

Gachagua has continued efforts to maintain his political grip on the region through grassroots mobilisation, despite challenges from emerging leaders aligned with President Ruto, including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.

The former deputy president has also faced scrutiny from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission over allegations of inflammatory remarks, accusations he has rejected, demanding evidence before responding to any summons. The rivalry between Ruto and Gachagua is expected to weigh heavily on the president’s 2027 running-mate calculations.

While Gachagua’s influence among sections of Mt Kenya voters remains significant, the emergence of alternative regional leaders has complicated the political arithmetic. For President Ruto, the challenge is balancing national coalition-building with retaining support in a region that was crucial to his first presidential victory.

For Gachagua, the test is whether he can convert regional loyalty into a national movement capable of shaping the next presidential contest. The battle for Mt Kenya is therefore not only about personalities, but about who controls the region’s political future, and whether President Ruto can move beyond the alliance that first took him to State House.

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