Political rivalry for influence in Kenya’s Mount Kenya region has intensified between former Vice President Rigathi Gachagua and Ndindi Nyoro, a member of parliament for Kiharu Constituency. Nyoro, who leads the People’s Party of Kenya, has become one of the most prominent opponents of Gachagua’s attempts to position himself as the region’s main political representative ahead of the 2027 general elections, Nation Kenya reports.
Funding claim
The latest exchange of statements began after Gachagua said in the United States that an unnamed young politician from Mount Kenya had allegedly received 200 million Kenyan shillings from President William Ruto to politically divide the region. His remarks were widely perceived as a reference to Nyoro.
Nyoro rejected the accusation, for which, according to the publication, no independent evidence was presented. He called on the former vice president to name him directly rather than use veiled wording. At the same time, Nyoro is building his own political force and positioning himself as an independent political player in the region.
Both politicians publicly advocate Ruto’s defeat in the 2027 elections and the opposition’s rise to power. However, Gachagua’s supporters call Nyoro “a government project,” while critics of the former vice president accuse him of trying to subordinate his rivals.
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Multiple centers of influence
The confrontation is unfolding amid a broader struggle for political leadership in Mount Kenya. Previously, Gachagua, President Ruto, and former President Uhuru Kenyatta were considered the key figures there. Nyoro has now joined the contest, along with opposition politicians Peter Munya, Justin Muturi, Lenny Kivuti, Martha Karua, and Jimi Wanjigi.
Gachagua is seeking to consolidate the electorate after his alliance with Ruto broke down. He has said that Mount Kenya overwhelmingly supported Ruto in 2022 but did not receive the expected political dividends. Kenyatta has not publicly supported Gachagua’s political project, while the Jubilee party is not ceding the region’s political space to the former vice president.
Analysts interviewed by the publication believe that Nyoro’s emergence has changed the balance of power and may deepen the fragmentation of regional politics. Gachagua’s supporters insist that one party and shared leadership would give Mount Kenya a stronger position in political negotiations. Nyoro, for his part, said that he does not seek to split the opposition electorate but wants to expand support for the opposition both in the region and across the country.
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