As Kenya’s fourth President Uhuru Kenyatta was approaching his retirement, questions on who would take over the mantle as the de facto leader of Mt Kenya region emerged.
For close to a decade, Kenyatta’s influence and presence was evident in the region’s politics.
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However- in the run up to the August 2022 polls, the region was divided and with no obvious heir to Kenyatta’s role as the region’s spokesperson.
On one hand, Deputy President and then Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua teamed up with a group of leaders allied to President William Ruto – the Tangatanga movement.
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Kenyatta at the same time endorsed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s candidature in the polls.
This situation saw the region approach the election without a unified direction as was the case in past cycles. The Mountain was at a crossroads. To some, it was orphaned.
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In May 2023, amid the wrangles within the former ruling party – Jubilee, Nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege admitted that leaders from Central Kenya were orphans. She pleaded with Ruto not to abandon them.
“You have been our friend, and we are the ones who have been left at Jubilee the party you helped co-found.
“We are orphans, but I want to assure you that we are reviving the party that you left for us,” Chege stated.
Whilst the expectation was that Gachagua would assume the role of the region’s spokesperson, the contest to control Mount Kenya is far from over.
In fact, some pundits argue that Gachagua’s political future is not certain with the emergence of other ambitious politicians from the Mountain causing tremors and faultlines.
So, who are some of these politicians to watch even as Ruto burns the midnight oil to keep his grip on the orphaned Mountain?
Jimi Wanjigi, Mt Kenya Third force
Jimi Wanjigi, the self-proclaimed kingmaker and lately outspoken businessman is one of the politicians to watch, according to Herman Manyora, a political commentator.
Speaking to The Kenya Times, the political analyst noted that as a neutral figure- Wanjigi could pose a major threat to Gachagua’s grip of the Mountain if he joined hands with the anti-Ruto faction of Jubilee Party.
According to Manyora, the question of whether any of the figures in Mount Kenya is dependent on the political dynamics.
“For instance, if any of them teamed up with Uhuru, they could build a formidable force that could give Gachagua a very hard time. Or if these neutral forces teamed up with jubilee,” Manyora notes.
After narrowly missing the chance to be on the ballot as a presidential candidate in 2022, Wanjigi has been vocal with his sustained calls for an audit of the national debt.
However, Wanjigi has refrained from the political activities of the two major political formations which gives him a neutral position.
Jeremiah Kioni and Martha Karua
Despite tasting defeat in the 2022 polls, former Ndaragwa MP and Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua have steadfast and vocal critics of the Kenya Kwanza regime.
When some influential figures who campaigned under the Azimio la Umoja outfit decamped and declared allegiance to the ruling faction, Karua and Kioni stuck with the Raila Odinga-led camp.
However, the duo has unveiled what could be a third force in Mount Kenya politics in what is now known as the “Kamwene Leadership”.
Introducing the outfit in September, Kioni noted that the outfit is aimed at addressing economic and political concerns of the region’s constituents.
He added that it was neither a pro-Azimio or a Pro-Kenya Kwanza formation but a platform to disgruntled residents citing the state of agriculture and high cost of living.
The question on whether the Kamwene Leadership will endure the test of time remains one to watch.
Karua also remains a daughter of Mt Kenya even after opposing Uhuru’s political ambitions in 2013 and defying Ruto, the choice of Central Kenya in 2022.
Anne Waiguru
Kirinyaga County Governor is not new to national politics and is one to watch.
According to Political Analyst Maimuna Mwidau, politicians are always interested in rising up the ranks of leadership.
With Waiguru approaching the end of her 10-year term as Governor, she remains one to watch regarding her next step.
“First, every politician has an interest to get to the next level in leadership and the one who galvanizes the most support becomes the winner,” Maimuna notes.
“Therefore, those who have muscle and acumen to wrestle the DP will definitely try their luck”.
Waiguru was also a front-runner as a possible running mate for Ruto in 2022. According to analysts, she stands a better chance and would appeal to the women across the country.
Also Read: Mt Kenya is Divided, Forget What Gachagua is Saying, Ruto Told
Maina Njenga
Maina Njenga, the former Mungiki leader, has lately hit headlines due to his conflict with the state.
He has been arrested on several occasions in 2023 with security agencies accusing him of- among others- conniving to cause public harm.
But in his response, Njenga has been adamant that his woes are as a result of his political stance and close association with the Azimio political activities.
In May, Njenga was captured in a video leading mourners in Laikipia County singing a popular Kikuyu rendition.
Njenga still resonates with the youth in Central, and his woes, according to pundits, could be partly a scheme to tame his political tentacles.
“They claim I want to be the kingpin of Mt Kenya; I don’t think I’m interested in that position. I’m past that,” Njenga noted.
Moses Kuria
Besides politicians outside the Kenya Kwanza government, speculations alluding to infighting within the coalition have surfaced in the past.
Former CS Moses Kuria was in the spotlight after his spat with DP Gachagua over remarks on the high cost of living.
In a statement, Gachagua called out Moses Kuria and other government officials responding on questions relating to the cost of goods with arrogance.
Also Read: Moses Kuria’s Sarcastic Apology to Kenyans After Gachagua Warning
However, the then CS did not bow and instead affirmed that his remarks warning about tough times ahead were nothing but facts.
The spat sparked speculations on the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle.
In a subsequent function, Gachagua dispelled the rumors of a fallout within Kenya Kwanza asserting that Mt Kenya is united.
“We are united in this region, you just see us, yet you don’t know more about us. We are one people and as long as our interests are threatened, we are one,” he said.
According to Maimuna, DP Gachagua is facing an uphill task in his endeavor to have the entire Mountain back him in 2027.
She argued that the division reported when President Ruto was selecting his running mate is a major manifestation that the DP does not enjoy unanimous support in the coalition.
Gachagua’s Survival
Can DP Gachagua stand on his own without walking in the political shadow of his boss President Ruto? Is Gachagua the kingpin of the Mt Kenya region? According to Maimuna Mwidau, Gachagua has every reason to be worried
There are politicians in Central Kenya who maybe ara threat to DP Gachagua’s political survival in 2027 for the following simple reasons.
The politician who will be able to bring both east and west central region will not only wrestle out DP but also have the ability to reach out to other regions that do not have strong kingpins for extra support in 2027.
As to whether Gachagua is the kingpin of Mt Kenya or not, “A kingpin commands near full support of the region’s leadership. However, during the UDA process of picking a running mate, there were reports that CS Kithure Kindiki was the choice of the majority of the leaders from central region, despite the fact that he comes from a much smaller populace in that region.
