Gachagua-Nyoro rivalry revives Mt Kenya’s old political fault lines

Rigathi Gachagua and Ndindi Nyoro /HANDOUTRigathi Gachagua and Ndindi Nyoro /HANDOUTThe growing political rivalry between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro is reviving memories of Mt Kenya’s historical divisions, raising fears that the region could once again enter an election cycle without a unified political voice.

The warning evokes the 1992 multiparty elections, when political divisions in Central Kenya saw voters in Nyeri and Murang’a rally behind rival presidential candidates, weakening the region’s collective bargaining power.

In that election, Nyeri largely supported Mwai Kibaki, who ran under the Democratic Party, while Murang’a backed Kenneth Matiba of Ford-Asili.

The split illustrated how competing political loyalties could dilute the influence of a region whose numerical strength has often been central to national electoral contests.

More than three decades later, political analysts fear that the emerging rivalry between Gachagua, who hails from Nyeri, and Nyoro, the MP from Murang’a, could reopen similar fault lines as the region searches for a successor to retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Uhuru’s retirement in 2022 left Mt Kenya without an undisputed political kingpin, triggering a contest among leaders seeking to inherit the influence previously wielded by successive presidents and regional power brokers.

For decades, the region’s political direction was shaped by leaders including founding President Jomo Kenyatta and his successor, Kibaki. Uhuru’s departure from State House, however, created a vacuum that several politicians have since sought to fill.

Gachagua initially emerged as the leading contender after serving as Deputy President under President William Ruto.

He positioned himself as the region’s spokesperson, championing its economic interests through the “One Man, One Shilling, One Vote” campaign, which sought a greater share of national resources for populous regions.

But his quest to consolidate that position was complicated by the growing influence of Nyoro, whose profile rose through his work as chairman of the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee and his development record in Kiharu.

Nyoro’s growing influence became increasingly evident as legislators visited his Kiharu constituency to benchmark its development programmes.

Within Kenya Kwanza circles, his rising profile fuelled speculation that influential figures were positioning him to challenge Gachagua for Mt Kenya’s political leadership.

In January 2024, Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu, then a close ally of Nyoro, publicly suggested that Ruto should consider the Kiharu MP as his running mate in the 2027 presidential election.

“We love the president and because we don’t want him to encounter any problem in the mountain then I think the best [thing] would be to come with the most popular running mate,” Nyutu said on January 18, 2024.

“I think he (Nyoro) could be more popular, we are on the ground we listen to people, we hear what people think about each one of us. Ndindi has shown some very good social skills, a very good relationship with people and generally he has favour.”

The suggestion exposed the emerging contest over who could best represent Mt Kenya’s interests in a future national government.

The political landscape changed after Gachagua’s impeachment in October 2024, when some of his former allies, including Nyutu, moved closer to the former Deputy President.

Nyoro, meanwhile, was among MPs who abstained from voting on the impeachment motion, saying he wanted to deny Parliament the numbers required to pass it.

“There is a reason you have never heard Honourable Rigathi Gachagua complaining. Here in Meru, we have had impeachment. Is winning an impeachment about going to the assembly or not going? It is not going,” Nyoro said.

Although the two leaders did not immediately engage in an open public confrontation, their differences became more pronounced after Nyoro joined the Peoples Party of Kenya (PPK) on August 17.

His decision surprised political observers who had expected him to join Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), which has been seeking to consolidate support across Mt Kenya.

Gachagua’s allies subsequently portrayed Nyoro as a State “mole”, alleging that he was being sponsored by Ruto to divide the region’s votes ahead of the 2027 elections.

Among those attacking Nyoro is Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, a close ally of Gachagua.

“During meetings, there used to be a designated seat specifically for Ndindi Nyoro while Gachagua was still the DP,” Kihara said.

Nyoro hit back, accusing Kihara of pushing him into a position where he would be forced to respond.

“Jayne Kihara, there are things I chose not to do for politics, including disrespecting someone who is old enough to be my parent. I called her and told her that she is trying to push me to the wall because if I speak, she will hate me,” he said.

“I told her that I would say very hard truths which are more painful than the lies that she is peddling. I told her that if she speaks the truth, I will not respond, but if she tells lies, I will not keep quiet,” Nyoro added.

Political analyst Prof Macharia Munene warns that the escalating exchanges could make it harder for Mt Kenya to produce a unifying political leader.

“These fights are not healthy. They are further dividing the region; and it may be difficult for it to have a unifying political leader,” Munene said.

He cautioned that the rivalry could revive the Nyeri-Murang’a divisions witnessed in 1992, weakening the region’s ability to negotiate for political power and resources.

The confrontation could also create an opening for Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who has been positioning himself as a potential regional leader while largely avoiding direct involvement in the Gachagua-Nyoro exchanges.

With the 2027 elections approaching, Mt Kenya faces the challenge of balancing competition for leadership with the need to preserve its political leverage.