Inset…..Gachagua,Uhuru and Ruto.
By Peter Mwibanda.
NAIROBI, Kenya (IP) — The Mountain is restless. Once united, Mt. Kenya is now splintered into rival camps — and an upcoming by-election could decide who commands its political summit ahead of 2027.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, President William Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta are locked in a fierce contest for influence in the region.
The vote is shaping up as more than a fight for a single seat — it is an early test of who holds the microphone for Mt. Kenya’s millions of voters.
For decades, the bloc moved as one, delivering decisive wins in national elections.
That unity cracked in 2022 when Ruto’s party swept parliamentary seats despite Uhuru backing opposition leader Raila Odinga.
A recent poll shows Gachagua enjoys near 60% approval in the region, far ahead of his ratings elsewhere.
Ruto still commands strong support, while Uhuru is testing whether his old networks can outmuscle a new generation of populist politics.
“This is not about one MP,” said political analyst Wanjiru Kamau. “It’s about who will hold the Mt. Kenya microphone heading into 2027.”
Gachagua has branded himself as the region’s “truth-teller,” pushing a bottom-up economic agenda for farmers and traders.
Ruto walks a tightrope — projecting national unity while keeping Mt. Kenya loyal. Uhuru, slower to re-engage, is betting on legacy projects and personal ties.
The by-election will reveal whether voters lean toward regional solidarity, economic pledges or pure loyalty. Campaign rallies have already turned into proxy wars over the region’s future.
If Gachagua’s pick wins big, his leverage within Ruto’s camp grows. If Ruto’s choice wins without Gachagua’s backing, the president’s dominance is clear. If Uhuru pulls an upset, his political comeback begins.
Twelve years after the 2010 constitution decentralized power, Mt. Kenya remains a political prize. This by-election will decide whether the mountain stands united — or breaks into rival peaks.
Ends.
