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Wamuchomba: ‘My beef with Ruto and why Gachagua should go beyond Mt Kenya’
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, a close ally-turned-bitter critic of President William Ruto, has accused the Head of State of betraying campaign promises, ignoring public input and prioritising taxation over the welfare of citizens.
She expressed growing disillusionment with the government, citing its neglect of farmers and failure to uphold democratic principles.
Ms Wamuchomba also attributed her ouster as chairperson of the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) in the National Assembly to her opposition to critical government bills.
She stated that her resistance made her a “bottleneck” in Parliament, but she remained committed to serving her constituents rather than conforming to political pressures.
“They were bitter. They would love to see their Member of Parliament in those strategic positions,” said Ms Wamuchomba yesterday on NTV’s Fixing the Nation programme.
The MP condemned public participation as a mere formality, noting that despite overwhelming opposition to key Bills like the 2023 and 2024 Finance Bills, they were still passed.
The vocal MP expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to implement the Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR) for farmers and the delivery of milk coolers promised to Githunguri dairy farmers.
Additionally, Ms Wamuchomba challenged former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to broaden his leadership beyond Mount Kenya, urging him to fight for all Kenyans.
“Rigathi needs to realise that he has the mountain with him. He doesn’t have to talk much about the mountain. He already has it,” she said.
“He needs to be seen as more accommodating to other communities. The same energy he’s using to root for the mountain, he needs to be seen to be advocating for the forgotten communities of this country.”
Her remarks highlight growing concerns that Mr Gachagua’s regional focus could limit his potential as a national leader.
Mr Gachagua has fiercely defended Mount Kenya’s interests, solidifying his regional support.
However, Ms Wamuchomba believes he must now pivot to national issues such as taxation, labour policies and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“He has a very good way of pushing issues. I wish he could use that energy to fight for other Kenyans... fight for pay slips so that we don’t have any more deductions, and so that we don’t suffer more taxation,” she added.
She pointed to his influence in preventing the removal of certain Principal Secretaries, claiming President Ruto was forced to reconsider after Mr Gachagua spoke out.
