Former President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and ex-Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Mt Kenya politics are back to the siege mentality witnessed in 2013 when the favoured presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta risked getting locked out of the race by a case at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
After a short-lived celebration following the victory in 2022 elections of the region’s preferred presidential candidate, Dr William Ruto, who, ironically, defeated his predecessor, Mr Kenyatta’s chosen successor, Mr Raila Odinga, the region is once again on edge.
This is after President Ruto orchestrated the impeachment of his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, whose political career is now on the line and the apparent betrayal has galvanized the region perhaps like was the case in 2013.
Then, Mr Kenyatta had landed in the soup after the disputed 2007 General Election pushed the country into near civil war after the opposition candidate, Mr Odinga, challenged President Kibaki’s victory.
In the investigations that ensued, Mr Kenyatta was among the six who were named as suspects to be charged with crimes against humanity at the ICC.
Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta at the International Criminal Court.
Others in the list were William Ruto (now the president), Francis Muthaura (then head of public service), former Tinderet MP Henry Kosgei, former Inspector General of Police Hussein Ali and media personality Joshua arap Sang.
Mr Kenyatta's troubles at the ICC risked having him barred from contesting the 2013 General Election.
"This situation caused a lot of tensions in the then President Mwai Kibaki's government. It had been decided that the preferred State House successor was Mr Kenyatta," recalls Trans Nzoia governor Mr George Natembeya.
Natembeya then was an administrator at the Internal Security ministry and a right hand man of the then powerful minister, John Míchùki.
Likewise, the region’s senior most elected figure until his removal from office as deputy president through impeachment, Mr Rigathi Gachagua, is in a dilemma in the lead up to the 2027 General Election.
And unless Mr Gachagua convinces the courts to overturn his impeachment, he risks being barred from contesting the upcoming two General Elections.
Mr Natembeya says the ICC case resulted in panic among government actors to a point it was contemplated that Mr Musalia Mudavadi be fronted as then President Kibaki’s successor.
Mr Mudavadi went ahead to negotiate with Mr Kenyatta and State House operatives in a short-lived deal that saw Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto temporarily withdraw from vying for the presidency to back the former vice president.
The parties even signed a memorandum of understanding before elite legal advisers made it clear that in the face of the law, all were deemed innocent until proven guilty.
And because there was no indication that the ICC cases would have been concluded by the time the country was going to polls, State House was advised to go ahead with Mr Kenyatta succession plan.
This saw Mr Mudavadi left with a useless MOU that Mr Kenyatta explained had been signed under the influence of ‘demons.’
"I'm sorry...I certainly do not know what had gotten into my mind...in fact let us stop talking about it since it was incomprehensible work of demons," Mr Kenyatta explained the Mudavadi betrayal.
Some 11 years down the line, Mt Kenya is back at the moment where it has to prepare itself for a makeshift succession plan.
"I had personally told Mr Gachagua to not wait for the impeachment but rather resign upfront so as to have chance to contest in 2027. But he refused. He told me he was not a selfish man whose eye was in contesting for the mere sake of it," said Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru.
Mr Gathiru said "Mr Gachagua declared that it was not a must he contests, that he was also open to supporting someone else".
Just like the way Mr Kenyatta's 2013 woes shifted the political ground and new political ambitions erupted in Mt Kenya, the same is happening around Mr Gachagua's tribulations.
"We are amazed at the way some of our very sons and daughters have emerged to actively play the traitor card against Gachagua and continue to celebrate his fall at the expectation that State House will amplify their succession ambitions," said Murang'a Senator Mr Joe Nyutu.
"These characters behind the ongoing political upheavals in Mt Kenya are known by name and looks," he added.
"Those in the National Assembly and the Senate who made Gachagua’s grave, slayed him and have since been dancing on it are only anticipating a false promise that they will be made heirs to State House soonest,” he added.
However, Mr Nyutu anticipated a situation whereby soon, "they too will be told it was the influence of demons that made their master promise them power".
In the Kenyatta case, politicians like Jeremiah Kioni (now the Jubilee Party Secretary General), Mr Peter Kenneth, Ms Martha Karua, Mr Paul Muite and Ms Winnie Kaburu were viewed as offering alternative leadership.
But Mr Kenyatta had to assemble his own political party--The National Alliance (TNA), after his stay in Kanu became untenable, just like the case now whereby Mr Gachagua will have to shop for another outfit as he is seemingly unwanted in the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) where he has since been stripped of the post of deputy party leader.
The political emotions then towards 2013 were at fever pitch with Mr Michuki in 2010 declaring that "anyone who wants Mt Kenya votes must come through Mr Kenyatta and all those who defy that position will be fought politically as traitors".
Now, Mr Gachagua is emerging as a force to reckon with in the region with MPs who voted for his ouster in Parliament getting a hostile reception at the grassroots.
Like was the case in 2013, Mr Gachagua has since dismissed those not toeing his preferred political line as Ngati, tukunia, komerera and kunda ngutume (all meaning traitors).
"It does not matter how many times President Ruto wants to impeach Gachagua and as many times swear in Prof Kithure Kindiki as his Mt Kenya strongman...our people's deputy president remains Gachagua," Baragwi MCA David Mathenge has declared.
Kirinyaga woman Rep Njeri Maina and her senator Kamau Murango also declared that removing Mr Gachagua from people's hearts needs more than an impeachment and an appointed deputy president.
While Mr Kenneth, Ms Karua and Mr Muite contested the presidency and garnered 73,000, 44, 000 and 12,500 votes, respectively, Mr Kioni became running mate to Mr Mudavadi and both got 484, 000 votes. Ms Kaburu teamed up as running mate with James Ole Kiyiapi to garner 41,000 votes.
Mr Kenyatta went ahead to win the vote with 6.2 million votes (50.51 percent) followed closely by Mr Raila Odinga (5.3 million) representing 43.7 percent.
During the 2013 campaigns, popular secular artist John Demathew released a popular single Mwaka wa Hiti (hyena's year).
In the song, he sang of Mt Kenya politicians who were following Kenyatta's swinging hands as he walked his political journey with the hope that they would fall off for them to make a feast of them.
"The hyenas will go back home hungry since Kenyatta's hands will not fall off. The hyenas will escort him all the way to State House and later to his village (in retirement) without getting the feast," Mr Demathew sang.
Likewise, Mr Gachagua's dance with fate has brought to the fore political ambitions that lie in wait for his fall.
"It is true we have political vultures. It is not wise to name them for now but our voters know them...they are not strangers to us. We know them...but God shall get manifest in all these tribulations and he who He has anointed to take us safely over this tyrannical rule will have his moment of glory," said former Laikipia woman rep Ms Cate Waruguru.
Kipipiri MP Ms Wanjiku Muhia told Nation.Africa that "the political vultures that we have are so power fed, thoroughly drunk with machismo as well as elated with pride to a point they are sending Gachagua’s allies threatening and demeaning messages".
Like in Demathew case, Gachagua allies are outgoing each other in studios releasing singles and reels in his support, begging the question: will he prevail like Kenyatta did?
