Doubts Emerge Over Gachagua’s Mt Kenya Role
The much-hyped homecoming, meant to show Gachagua’s political clout, quickly turned rowdy. Opponents clashed with the police at JKIA
The much-hyped homecoming, meant to show Gachagua's political clout, quickly turned rowdy. Opponents clashed with the police at JKIA and again in parts of Nairobi. Photo / Courtesy
By Juliet Jerotich
Nyeri Town’s former MP Ngunjiri Wambugu raised sharp questions about the leadership skills of Rigathi Gachagua for the Mt Kenya region.
On Friday, August 22, 2025, Wambugu uploaded on his Facebook page a video carrying moments of the return of Gachagua at JKIA. Confusion and chaos were the defining features around the occasion, which the former MP stated underscored Gachagua’s lack of leadership strength.
Poor Planning Exposed
Wambugu had responded that the JKIA theatricals represented bad planning and lack of preparation by the Gachagua team. It was astonishing, he said, that a politician who had been selling himself as the kingpin of Mt Kenya could not even arrange his own reception.
“Are we secure in Gachagua’s hands?” Wambugu had questioned. He went on to write that a person who cannot organize himself to get back home cannot be the master of over 12 million citizens and 7 million voters. He described Gachagua’s leadership as chaotic and unreliable.
Supporters Clash With Police
The much-hyped homecoming, meant to show Gachagua’s political clout, quickly turned rowdy. Opponents clashed with the police at JKIA and again in parts of Nairobi. Some were hurt and others detained in the scuffles.
The debacle shamed Gachagua, critics say, who has been seeking to act as spokesman for Mt Kenya politically. Instead of portraying influence, the occurrence portrayed disorganisation and challenged his control over supporters.
Factions in Mt Kenya Politics
Wambugu’s comments reflect a wider split among Mt Kenya’s political elite. While some of the leaders believe in Gachagua as representative of Mt Kenya, others wonder whether he will unite the community or protect its interests at the national level.
To Wambugu, the stakes are too high for Mt Kenya to risk putting its bet on an unstructured leader. In his view, the region needs a visionary, an individual who has framework and foresight and not one who is spectacle-oriented.
Debate Rages On
Wambugu’s statement sparked fiery debate on social media. Gachagua’s supporters rallied behind him, accusing critics of sabotaging his growing popularity. Critics, however, supported Wambugu’s views and called for new leadership debates.
As the dust settles on the unruly welcome, the one question left hanging is: Can Rigathi Gachagua unify Mt Kenya’s backing, or will divisions within dilute his leadership claim?
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