RUTO - GACHAGUA SCRAMBLE FOR MURANGA

President William Ruto and his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, staged a political face-off on Friday, September 12, 2025, by hosting parallel meetings with Murang’a County leaders.

At State House, the President—flanked by his deputy, Kithure Kindiki—met a delegation of leaders from the county alongside Lands CS Esther Wahome. At the same time, Senator Joe Nyutu marshalled a rival team of grassroots leaders to Gachagua’s Wamunyoro home in Nyeri.

Gachagua’s side reaped some influential ward reps in the area including; MCA Maurice Thuku, the assembly’s Majority Whip, Kariara Ward MCA Gichihi Mbatia, Steven Kimani, and Kinyona Ward MCA Liz Mbugua, who also serves as Deputy Majority Leader.

Addressing the gathering, Senator Nyutu accused the President of trying to sway Murang’a residents through inducements and handouts.

“Ruto knows the needs of Murang’a people. He doesn’t have to call them to the State House for him to know their needs. He only called them to bribe them in his desperate move to move them away from Gachagua, whom they have embraced as our national leader,” Nyutu said.

“The move of calling people to the State House will not change things. Murang’a has a population of about 1 million people, and only about four thousand have been called to State House,” he added.

Echoing the remarks of the former, the Gachagua rallied his supporters to remain steadfast, warning residents against leaders who, he claimed, had chosen personal gain over the people’s interests.

“These are the true leaders of the Murang’a people, and I ask the people to take note of the traitors in State House, those who are selling their people for money. They should take note and in two years elect people who can represent them and not sell their birthright,” Gachagua told the gathering.

“The few leaders at the State House are selling the Murang’a people. They are greedy and pursuing their own interests. What is happening in the State House is pure corruption. Ruto has been bribing people with millions of shillings as people are suffering and university students are at home. Our primary schools lack money for capitation, and our hospitals are on their deathbeds,” he continued accusing Ruto of wasting monies in bribing leaders while the residents from Muranga are lacking the necessary amenities.

He urged residents not to be deceived by promises of development, adding that little had been delivered in the past three years.

“He has not called people to discuss progress. It is unnecessary to pretend to call them for discussion of progress when there is nothing he has done in the last three years and he will do nothing in the remaining two years,” Gachagua said.

Still, he advised leaders who accepted money from State House to use it wisely but not compromise their integrity.

“Please take the money and use it when you get back home, but don’t sell your conscience or soul. If you do, the people of Murang’a will punish you,” he warned.

“What is happening is a strategy to divide the people of the mountain. He had done so with people of Meru and also from Kiambu,” he added framing the State House outreach as part of a broader plan to fragment Mount Kenya politics.

Gachagua has consistently cast himself as the political kingpin of Mt. Kenya, convinced that he is best placed to challenge President Ruto in 2027, buoyed by what he sees as a solid backing from the region. Ruto, however, maintains that he still commands strong support in Mt. Kenya, which delivered about 3.5 million votes to his tally in 2022—though analysts note his popularity there has since waned.

The Friday events underscores a scramble for the mountain, as the President and his former deputy once again flex their political muscle in a region that holds a lion’s share of the national vote.