NAIROBI, Kenya, April 1 — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday pledged to help unify the Mt Kenya region under an opposition alliance backed by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, vowing to mend past political rifts while accusing President William Ruto of dividing the region.
Gachagua spoke during the burial of former Daniel Karaba in Kirinyaga County, attended by several prominent opposition figures, including Kenyatta, Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang’i, Martha Karua, and Eugene Wamalwa.
Addressing mourners, Gachagua emphasized the importance of rallying behind a single presidential candidate for the next election.
“We want one candidate, whether it is Martha Karua, Fred Matiang’i, Kalonzo Musyoka or Rigathi Gachagua — it does not matter,” he said.
He criticized Ruto’s allies for claiming that Kenyatta would not collaborate with him, insisting their relationship spanned decades.
“I personally served as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s personal assistant for many years and worked closely with him for more than 20 years. Then this person came between us, and for the last three years we have been at odds,” Gachagua said.
The former deputy president expressed regret over his previous support for Ruto, saying that many leaders and religious figures were misled.
“As Christians, we believed what he told us because he spoke using the word of God and the Bible. Sometimes I blame myself for being deceived and for misleading our people,” he said.
Gachagua accused Ruto of attempting to fracture the politically influential Mt Kenya region along geographic lines.
“He has tried to divide our region between Mt Kenya East and West, and that is why I am at loggerheads with him. I cannot allow that. If he succeeds, it will be the end for us,” he warned.
Drawing parallels with Kenya’s 1992 election, Gachagua cautioned that political divisions could hand victory to rivals, recalling how opposition fragmentation allowed former president Daniel arap Moi to win.
“Remember what happened in 1992: Kenneth Matiba stood on one side, Mwai Kibaki stood on another, and Daniel arap Moi emerged victorious because of that division,” he said.
Gachagua also called for broader political alliances beyond Mt Kenya, urging communities including the Kamba, Kisii, Luhya, Mijikenda, and Maasai to work together.
He credited Kenyatta with helping reduce long-standing tensions between the Kikuyu and Luo communities, noting that many Mt Kenya voters supported opposition leader Raila Odinga in the last election.
“For the first time, about 1.3 million people, at his urging, voted for Raila Odinga. That means the differences between our communities are gradually reducing,” he said.
Gachagua also defended Kenyatta from criticism by political figures such as Junet Mohamed, praising the former president’s role in bridging ethnic and political divides.
“Nobody will divide the Mountain. Nobody will come between the people of this region, and nobody will come between us and President Uhuru Kenyatta,” he said.
“For the record, President Kenyatta is my elder brother, my kinsman, and my long-time friend. Those earlier differences were the politics of yesterday. We are now living in different times.”
