The battle for Mt Kenya: Gachagua vs Uhuru in high-stakes 2027 power play

As the political temperature begins to rise ahead of the 2027 General Election, the contest for dominance in the vote-rich Mt Kenya region is heating up.

At the center of the storm is former Deputy President and leader of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) Rigathi Gachagua, who has recently cast himself as the region’s new political spokesman, seeking to inherit the mantle once firmly held by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

But can Gachagua dethrone Uhuru as the undisputed political kingpin of Mt Kenya?

Following his exit from power in 2022, Uhuru retreated from active politics after a bruising campaign that saw his preferred successor, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, lose to President William Ruto under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) banner.

The defeat dealt a significant blow to Uhuru’s influence in the region and shattered the once-formidable grip of his Jubilee Party, which has since disintegrated with the majority of its members defecting.

Many of those defectors now align themselves with Gachagua’s emerging political outfit – the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) as he works to consolidate power and fill the leadership vacuum in the mountain.

Uhuru’s legacy projects and political capital have been overshadowed by realignments driven by changing loyalties and shifting power centers.

Seizing the opportunity, Gachagua has moved with calculated aggression to position himself as the region’s political beacon.

He has established alliances with several key figures, including former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who has declared his intent to run for the presidency under the Jubilee Party ticket, and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, leader of the Wiper Party.

Others in his orbit include Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, Democratic Party leader and former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi, former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, and former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda.

In a symbolic show of power, Gachagua recently hosted these political allies at his Wamunyoro home in Mathira, Nyeri County.

There, he issued a stern warning to those who have continued to insult former President Kenyatta.

“If Ruto’s allies continue abusing Uhuru, we will respond in kind. I am the leader of Mt Kenya and must defend him,” he declared.

This statement not only reinforced his self-anointed role as the region’s political custodian but also signaled a broader strategy of embracing Uhuru as a respected elder while gradually sidelining him from active politics.

In recent weeks, Gachagua has intensified his attacks on Mt Kenya lawmakers who continue to back President Ruto.

At a recent church service, he castigated the MPs for what he termed as blind loyalty to the Head of State.

“How foolish are you, Members of Parliament from this region? William Ruto is laughing at you. He appoints people from his community to the military, the police, NYS, and KRA, while Mt Kenya is sidelined,” he charged.

He accused them of remaining silent as the region is allegedly being left out in key national appointments.

But even as Gachagua asserts himself, Uhuru is not entirely out of the picture.

The region’s political dynamics remain fluid, with several leaders and analysts questioning the former deputy president’s claim to dominance.

Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, once a close ally of Gachagua, recently defected from his camp and returned to Jubilee.

In a scathing Facebook post, Wambugu recounted how Gachagua positioned himself as Mt Kenya’s defender in 2022, rallying voters behind UDA and warning against Uhuru’s leadership.

“Two years later, Gachagua brands the same leaders he asked Mt Kenya to elect as ‘stupid and clueless’, ridicules the government he forced the region to support, and now wants us to trust him again,” Wambugu wrote.

According to Mukurwe-ini MP John Kaguchia, the relationship between Gachagua and Uhuru is not antagonistic, contrary to popular belief.

He claimed that both leaders are united in their mission to deny President Ruto a second term in 2027.

“Gachagua and Uhuru are not in a fight whatsoever. All the people of Mt Kenya are in one basket of sending Ruto home. Uhuru is retired and has taken a low profile in politics,” Kaguchia told The Informer Media Group.

“You will not see him come out for active mobilization again. Some of Ruto’s people wish Uhuru and Gachagua would fight, but that won’t happen. Both of them are clear on the goal of dislodging Ruto,” he added.

Political analyst Dr Philip Chebunet, however, believes the situation is more complex.

He argues that Jubilee’s refusal to fold is a sign that the Mt Kenya region is not fully behind Gachagua’s leadership.

“The idea of splintering political identity along tribal lines, disguised as regional autonomy, hasn’t created the kind of loyalty Gachagua hoped for,” Chebunet noted.

“Jubilee’s survival under Uhuru’s silent hand shows Mt Kenya is not entirely sold to Gachagua’s bitter factionalism,” he added.

He praised Fred Matiang’i’s decision not to form a Kisii-based party, viewing it as a demonstration of strategic restraint and maturity.

“That move has clearly irritated Gachagua, who appears to be pushing for a coalition of tribal outfits to face off against Ruto. Instead, he finds himself increasingly isolated,” he said.

According to Chebunet, Uhuru’s measured silence and the calculated retention of Jubilee stand in sharp contrast to Gachagua’s often emotional and reactionary politics.

“Uhuru seems focused on legacy and quiet influence, while Gachagua appears caught in a reactive cycle, driven more by resentment than a unifying national vision,” he said.

Nairobi-based lawyer Levi Munyeri takes a more pragmatic view, suggesting that Gachagua already enjoys de facto kingpin status due to his grassroots mobilization and growing support base.

“If kingpinship means ground support, then Gachagua is already Mt Kenya’s political kingpin,” Munyeri said.

He described Gachagua’s strategy of defending Uhuru as a tactical move to neutralize the former president as a political threat while co-opting his legacy.

“This is not about respect; it’s about control. Gachagua wants Uhuru to be seen as a retired elder, not an active political player,” he added.

Evidence of this strategy can be seen in the slow but steady decline of the Jubilee Party’s influence in Mt Kenya, as DCP gains traction.

In Nyeri County – Gachagua’s home base – DCP has begun laying political groundwork for 2027.

A group of former elected leaders and aspirants recently appointed former Tana Water Works Development Agency board chairman Wanyaga Gathaka as the party’s interim county coordinator.

“I was tasked by the party leader to coordinate activities in Nyeri as we begin our membership recruitment drive,” Gathaka said during a press briefing.

“We have not launched the party nationally yet, but with the blessing of our party leader, we are starting to organize across all 47 counties, beginning right here in Nyeri,” he added.

Gachagua’s success in claiming the Mt Kenya crown will ultimately hinge on his ability to unify the region and his skill in suppressing rebellion within his ranks.