By The Weekly Vision Reporter
With mere hours remaining before ballots are cast in the Mbeere North Constituency by-election, the usually quiet semi-arid plains of Embu have erupted into a political spectacle worthy of national theatre. What began as a routine poll to replace Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has morphed into a bruising proxy war between Kenya’s duelling deputy presidents: the ousted Rigathi Gachagua and his successor, Kithure Kindiki.
Thursday’s vote, slated for 27 November, now stands as President William Ruto’s sternest litmus test in the treacherously shifting politics of the Mt Kenya region. As both camps race against time, their rallies have blended fiery sermons, sharp-tongued barbs, and breathless last-minute promises.
[Photo: Courtesy]
On Sunday, beneath the vaulted rafters of A.C.K. St. Stephen’s Karangare Church in Ishiara, Mr Gachagua, impeached last year but unbowed, rallied worshippers behind Democratic Change Party (DCP) hopeful Newton Kariuki. Flanked by former Mbeere North MP Lenny Kivuti and a clutch of local powerbrokers, he cast the by-election as a moment of destiny.
“Your vote is your shield against betrayal,” he declared to a congregation responding with loud Amens. “Turn out in droves, for a Kariuki victory will thunder across State House: Mt Kenya demands respect, not leftovers.”
He vowed to deploy ironclad safeguards against rigging, “We will shield every ballot with our lives” , while promising a peaceful poll even as he accused the administration of unleashing “goons” on residents.
In a pointed rebuke, he urged the government to embrace “hygienic and transparent” campaign methods, insisting that Mbeere’s voters reject bribery. “This is no auction; it is a rendezvous with fate,” he said, elevating the constituency to “global stardom” under the national spotlight.
Barely 48 hours earlier, on Friday, Deputy President Kindiki had stormed Kyenire in Kamukanya, Evurore Ward, and Ngiiri Market in Muminji Ward, steering the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) brigade in support of Leonard Wamuthende. In a precise counterattack, Prof Kindiki branded his predecessor a “rank hypocrite” who “squandered his time in office without lifting Mbeere’s fortunes”.
He dismissed Mr Gachagua’s regional tours as “hollow bluster”, positioning Mr Wamuthende as the credible alternative, a steady hand who would champion development. Prof Kindiki showcased a targeted agenda: expanded bursaries for needy learners, a push to revive stalled national projects, and renewed pledges of tarmac roads, electricity, and water infrastructure.
“Leo is no showman; he is substance,” he told cheering crowds, citing the Siakago–Kanyuambora road upgrade and a KSh500 million electrification programme as proof of President Ruto’s commitment to the region. “We offer deeds, not drama. Prepare for a decisive win.”
The venom between these once-allied Kenya Kwanza principals, fused in the heat of the 2022 elections, now spills openly. Yellow UDA banners crash against DCP orange along the rutted roads from Ishiara to Siakago, while churches, marketplaces, funerals and village squares throb with competing megaphones.
Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku, a steadfast UDA loyalist despite tensions with Mr Muturi, has entered the fray, dismissing opposition claims of intimidation and insisting that Mbeere North remains firmly in the government’s column.
Yet amid the ego storms, a recent Mizani Africa poll underscores just how tight the race is: Mr Wamuthende at 44.6 per cent and Mr Kariuki close behind at 42.4 per cent, well within the ±3 per cent margin of error.
Nine aspirants cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are contesting, though the duel between the two frontrunners has eclipsed the rest.
For Mr Gachagua, victory would signal political resurrection and provide a platform to rally Mt Kenya’s disaffected voters following his fall from power. For President Ruto and Prof Kindiki, defeat in this Kenya Kwanza stronghold would raise uncomfortable questions ahead of 2027, including murmurs of waning regional loyalty.
As campaign tactics grow ever more unorthodox, from door-to-door persuasion to market-side charm offensives and thinly veiled threats, residents lament that local concerns such as water shortages, crumbling roads, and rampant youth unemployment have been drowned out by high-stakes political theatrics.
As twilight settles over Evurore and Nthawa this evening, both camps project steely confidence. Come dawn, as polling stations open at 6 a.m., Mbeere North, as Mr Gachagua boasted, will indeed command national attention. Whether fury, loyalty or sober judgement prevails remains to be seen. Kenya holds its breath as two deputy presidents sharpen their blades for the final bout.
