Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga (left) and ex-Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga is positioning himself as a key political player in the Mt Kenya region, declaring his intent to guide the community’s future direction.
This comes after a recent court ruling cleared him of allegations involving criminal groups, a charge he has consistently denied.
Mr Njenga believes the time has come for the Mt Kenya region to determine its political path and he has promised a major announcement in January 2025 that will ‘outline his vision for the community’s interests’.
“I want to tell our people to be calm as we are forging better plans for them. We shall be announcing the direction that the country should take in January,” said Mr Njenga urging the people of Mt Kenya not to lose hope. He emphasized that the region has capable leaders ready.
Mr Njenga’s upcoming announcement follows a similar declaration by the impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, highlighting the intensifying political rivalry in the region.
Since the fiercely contested 2022 general elections, tension between Mr Njenga and Mr Gachagua has been evident.
While Gachagua was elected as Deputy President alongside President William Ruto, he has accused Njenga of manipulating the region’s youth and mobilising them into militant groups.
In response, the former Mungiki leader Njenga has claimed that Mr Gachaguawas using government resources to target and harass the region's youth.
In the wake of his recent Nakuru court victory, he (Njenga) has maintained that the charges against him were politically motivated. In a veiled attack on the embattled DP, Mr Njenga pointed out that those who sought to bring him down are now facing their own legal challenges.
“I am happy that I am free because we were framed by some people though they are the ones now battling a trial as they did to me,” he said in an exclusive interview with Nation. Africa.
As he eyes a larger role in Mt Kenya politics, Mr Njenga is banking on support from the youth whom he sees as crucial to the 2027 elections. He has called on the younger generation, especially Generation Z to secure their identity cards and be ready to make their voices heard.
“I want to appeal to all the youth to go get their IDs to make their voice count and have the change they need. We are behind them and will support them in this process,” he said.
But his political ambitions remain open-ended.
While he ran unsuccessfully for the Laikipia Senate seat on a Kanu ticket in the 2022 last elections, he did not specify if he would make another bid for the seat.
However, he has aligned himself with the Azimio la Umoja coalition which he believes is the right vehicle for alternative leadership in Kenya.
“I am together with other Azimio leaders including Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and ODM leader Raila Odinga, whom we are supporting to get the African Union Commission chairman seat,” he noted.
His renewed involvement in politics has sparked debate, especially in a region that has traditionally played a pivotal role in shaping Kenya’s political landscape.
With both Njenga and Gachagua appealing to the same constituency, the stage is set for fierce competition for Mt Kenya's political soul, a battle that could have significant implications for the country's future leadership.
The promise to make a defining announcement in January suggests that the coming year could be a turning point, not just for Mt Kenya but for national politics as well.
