By The Weekly Vision Team
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s latest political manoeuvre has shaken Kenya’s political scene. His declaration that the Mount Kenya region deserves a 50 per cent share of government, coupled with his endorsement of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka for the presidency, has thrown the 2027 race into confusion within opposition ranks.
Gachagua’s move appears to be a bold bid to rewrite Kenya’s coalition politics and perhaps revive his waning political influence within the opposition, given that he cannot hold public office following his impeachment. By proposing a power-sharing formula that positions Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya as deputy president and former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i as Prime Cabinet Secretary, he is signalling that Mount Kenya will no longer accept being a “voting bloc without benefits.”
Whether this is political brilliance or sheer desperation depends on one’s viewpoint. Once President William Ruto’s closest ally, Gachagua’s new path marks a steep fall from the heart of Kenya’s power structure.
His characterisation of politics as a “business of shares” has struck a chord among Mount Kenya voters who feel economically and politically short-changed since 2022. Yet, the same rhetoric exposes a troubling view of leadership, one that treats government as a transaction rather than a public service. As one senior UDA lawmaker told The Weekly Vision, “This talk of shares makes it sound like Kenya is a private company. It’s divisive and dangerous.”
Still, Gachagua’s message is calculated. He is appealing to a regional audience that rewards leaders who promise tangible returns for loyalty, even at the risk of deepening national divisions.
Across the aisle, ODM leaders have wasted no time in dismissing him. Oburu Odinga accused him of “turning the country into a shareholding entity,” while Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga claimed he was exploiting regional grievances to revive his image. ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna went further, calling it “a desperate act by a cornered man.”
For Gachagua, the gamble is all or nothing. If his alliance with Kalonzo gains traction, he could re-emerge as a kingmaker in 2027. If not, he faces the prospect of political isolation, the final chapter of an ambitious career once destined for the top.
