Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua alleged some of President William Ruto' s allies were secretly consulting him even as he postponed naming his new political party to May citing strategic reasons.
After postponing the announcement from January 31, 2025, to February 2, 2025, he finally took to Mt Kenya vernacular radio stations on Sunday, February 9, 2025, urging the region's residents to completely sever ties with President Ruto, his loyalists and warning government of backlash should Chief Justice Martha Koome be ousted from office.
He revealed without evidence that there are tens of President Ruto's inner circle who are part of his spies and consultants in devising his 2027 strategy to ensure the head of state serves for only one term.
"I have met with Ruto insiders in government, confidentially who are tipping me on what is needed to be done to make our goal for a regime change real come the next general elections," he said.
However, Mr Gachagua did not name the Mt Kenya political party that the people were eagerly waiting for, postponing its naming to May 2025.
"For strategic reasons, I will not name the party. What to be assured of is that the party is there and it is ready to go. Only we dare not expose ourselves too much for we are competing with a very mischievous president," he said.
He added: "But in May we will have a colourful launch ceremony of the party in Nairobi at a venue yet to be announced".
He said the new party is like a fortress "built with impregnable materials, with a steady seasoned driver in the name of Gachagua."
He claimed that the president and his loyalists in Mt Kenya are not sleeping seeking ways to win back the mountain and applying all tricks to ensure the region does not influence the 2027 General Election outcome.
"We know Ruto is busy building new parties in Mt Kenya to confuse us. We know he is planning to sponsor presidential candidates in Mt Kenya so that we can split our votes. Those small wheelbarrows he is creating in Mt Kenya must be called out and those he intends to use as presidential candidates must be branded," he said.
Mr Gachagua proceeded to issue seven points that form the basis of his intended behavior for Mt Kenya people against President Ruto's government.
"The much awaited direction for my people is that we are taking back our 2022 support for President Ruto. We will not play any part in his 2027 reelection bid for he conned, betrayed, manipulated and after misusing us, dumped us," he said.
Mr Gachagua further directed Mt Kenya people to ditch the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party which dominates the list of area elected leaders and in which he was the running mate who rose to become Deputy President before his relations with his boss soured leading to his impeachment in October last year.
"All the over 5 million members that belong to UDA should ditch it and enter into our new party that I am going to name. We must leave it to a man for it no longer represents what we stand for and aspire to be as a region," he said.
He said the consultations he has had for the past three months with Mt Kenya stakeholders have unanimously agreed that "never again now and into the future will we ever go to an election without our own political party".
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He added that another declaration is that using the to-be-declared political party for the region, ensures at least "we elect our at least 700 MCA's, 17 senators and governors as well as more than 100 MPs completely vetted and convicted to be community patriots".
He added that it has been agreed that "all those who have since acted contrary to ground passions like in impeaching me, voting for draconian taxes and policies as well as helping community enemies besmirch area people must be voted out in 2027".
He said: "Those in that lot must not see the inside of any electoral position. All those accompanying the president in meetings where Mt Kenya is being shamed will remain enemies of this community and will be voted out too".
He added that the consultations have settled on the need to "get ourselves new friends from other communities so that we can best achieve our key agenda of dislodging this government from power".
He expressly favoured the AKamba community which he said has since been incorporated into the Gikuyu, Embu and Ameru communities to form Mt Kenya South wing of the Mountain.
Gachagua meets Karua at her Kirinyaga home
Announcing a departure from where even when perceivably wronged the Mt Kenya communities usually avoid pouring into the streets to protest, Mr Gachagua said it will not be business as usual going forward.
"Enough is enough: If this government sacks Chief Justice Martha Koome like it is intending to, we will move out and protest. If they arrest me and inject me with poison, my people will block roads. If you disrupt my meetings again, we will pour out into the streets in protest," he claimed.
'I'm sorry, I know better..."
He added that the Mt Kenya community is in a tricky position politically owing largely to his miscalculations.
"I wronged my community for bringing Ruto to you, I am sorry and I am willing to remedy it. I own up and I am indebted to give a remedy. Uhuru Kenyatta left us without young leaders to take over leadership. I just sprouted like a mushroom because nature hates a vacuum. But I'm now experienced, sharper and more careful," he said.
"We do not want to reveal all about ourselves. It is early. We need to design a workable roadmap that can run with a credible momentum. I have held more than 400 meetings with Mt Kenya businessmen, politicians, youth, civil society...Hustlers... etc," he said.
"I don't give money as many of our detractors are saying. Unlike those in government, I don't give out money. My sources in government have tipped me that President Ruto is asking whether I will sustain the budget for my meetings with my visitors. Sorry, I'm spending nothing," he said.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
He said that to the contrary, his visitors to his home take with them farm produce and livestock as a sign of love.
"A delegation from Meru brought me Miraa... What I thought would be a Mt Kenya consultations drive changed to national consultations after other regions and communities expressed a desire to walk the journey with us," he said.
He said even as he appeared to hold the press conference, pending were delegations from Mijikenda, Taita, Taveta, Kuria, Migori and Nyanza, saying they had booked appointments with him.
"Today I come in peace, to remedy my delay in announcing the way forward, to give a preliminary report. All my visitors are mad at this government. This is an angry nation. It appears the only happy person in this country is President Ruto and his close associates," he said.
"He is now telling us that those daring to speak the truth to him are illiterate, high on substance abuse and are good for nothing. If I'm telling you the truth and you call it incitement then let it be. But Kenyans are mad with the government and President Ruto must be prepared to be facing instant justice the moment he tells a public lie," he said.
He further accused Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki of being a yes-sir man who is holding meaningless meetings at his official residence.
"Let him show the outcome of the meetings in form of actualised development projects. He is only accompanying the president to clap for, and endorse what he announces in his one-man show and dictatorial regime," he said.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki (left) former DP Rigathi Gachagua and President William Ruto.
Photo credit: File | Nation
He accused President Ruto of seeking to unite the rest of the country against Mt Kenya region as well as reviving Mungiki.
"You won't fight this community as long as I am alive. I have donated myself to unite this community. Our resolve to kick you out of power through the ballot in 2027 is unstoppable," he said.
