Former president Uhuru Kenyatta and impeached deputy president Rigathi Gachagua are locked in a fierce battle for control of the Mount Kenya vote, threatening opposition unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mounting rivalry
The once-cordial relationship between Uhuru Kenyatta and Rigathi Gachagua has collapsed into open hostility as both leaders scramble to claim the mantle of Mount Kenya kingpin. With the region’s eight million votes seen as decisive in any presidential contest, the stakes could not be higher.
Kenyatta has revived Jubilee Party as his political vehicle and recently tasked former interior cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i with representing the party in the United Opposition coalition. Gachagua, on the other hand, insists his newly formed Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) is the authentic voice of the mountain.
Narok by-election sparks fresh row
The latest flashpoint came during the Narok Township ward by-election in late September. Opposition principals had agreed to rally behind DCP candidate Douglas Masikonde, but Jubilee first issued nomination papers to Joshua Kaputa before withdrawing the candidate and throwing its weight behind President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) nominee Robert Kanyinke Kudate.
Speaking on vernacular radio stations, Gachagua accused Jubilee of sabotage. “Even after we agreed to jointly field Mr Masikonde, Jubilee went behind our backs,” he said, adding that the party’s actions were inconsistent with the United Opposition agenda.
Tit-for-tat accusations
Jubilee secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni hit back, branding Gachagua a Ruto project designed to confuse Kenyans. Kioni claimed the former deputy president had tried to pressure Matiang’i into abandoning Jubilee for a smaller outfit. DCP deputy leader Cleophas Malala responded by alleging Jubilee was working to destabilise DCP at State House’s behest.
Gachagua turns fire on both Ruto and Kenyatta
Addressing a rally in Mbeere North in November, Gachagua accused Kenyatta of failing to warn Mount Kenya adequately about Ruto before the 2022 election. “Uhuru casually told us, hii mtu si mzuri, but he gave no details,” he said. He went further, declaring: “In Mt Kenya, I am the present and the future. Mr Kenyatta is the past and retired.”
Mixed voices from the mountain
Not all leaders agree with Gachagua’s hardline stance. Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, a Kenyatta ally, described the former president as the undisputed kingpin who unified the country without coercion. Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri, a Ruto supporter, portrayed Gachagua as a man driven by revenge who sees anyone outside his camp as an enemy of the region.
United Opposition in disarray
The broader United Opposition coalition – which includes Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-Kenya’s Eugene Wamalwa, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, former attorney-general Justin Muturi, former agriculture CS Mithika Linturi, Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua and Kajiado Senator Kenar Seki – is struggling to present a united front. Parallel events in September, including Jubilee’s national delegates conference and Karua’s presidential bid launch attended by Gachagua, laid bare the divisions.
Analysts sound warning
Political scientist John Okumu says the rivalry is rooted in the contest for the 2027 presidential ticket and access to political patronage. Prof Gitile Naituli of Multimedia University believes Jubilee is panicking over declining influence and urges both sides to focus on campaigning rather than trading barbs. “Throwing insults at each other only shows how disunited they are,” he said.
Social media battleground
Online platforms remain sharply divided. Some users hail Gachagua as the new mountain kingpin while others insist Kenyatta remains the region’s unifying figure. Many warn that continued infighting will hand President Ruto victory on a silver platter.
Despite the bitterness, Gachagua has welcomed Kenyatta’s directive to Jubilee members to refrain from personal attacks, describing it as a positive gesture. “We are supposed to be in the United Opposition pursuing the same goal of unseating President Ruto in 2027,” he noted.
As the clock ticks toward the next general election, Mount Kenya voters are watching closely. In a country where regional blocs often determine the presidency, the outcome of this power struggle could reshape Kenya’s political landscape for years to come.
