DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has described the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election as a political contest between President William Ruto and the Kikuyu community.
The former Deputy President claimed the outcome reflected the region’s growing opposition to President Ruto’s re-election bid.
Speaking during a church service at ACK St Thomas Cathedral in Kerugoya, Gachagua said Ruto should expect a similar political verdict in next year’s general election.
He accused the head of state of betraying the community and targeting its sons and daughters holding strategic government positions despite overwhelmingly voting for him in 2022.
“The Ol Kalou contest was not about individual candidates. It was a contest between President Ruto and the Kikuyu community and the people have spoken. If nothing changes, he should expect the same outcome in 2027,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua said he avoided the Ol Kalou campaigns despite pressure from a number of influential figures in the community.
“Many people called me asking why I didn’t go to Ol Kalou, but I knew the contest was between Ruto and the community. There is no way the community could lose this election,” he said.
His remarks came amid heightened political activity following the closely watched Ol Kalou by-election, which attracted intense campaigns from both government and opposition leaders and has been widely viewed as an early test of political influence ahead of the general election.
DCP’s Sammy Ngotho was declared the winner of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election after garnering 35,440 votes.
He defeated the ruling UDA candidate, Samuel Muchina, who received 5,450 votes.
The former Deputy President further accused the President of pursuing a deliberate strategy to fragment the Mt Kenya voting bloc to improve his re-election prospects.
According to Gachagua, efforts to create political divisions within the region, as being pushed by Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku, are intended to weaken its bargaining power.
The CS last week reignited the debate over the political future of the Mt Kenya region after declaring Mt Kenya East no longer cares about the political affairs of Mt Kenya West.
Ruku’s remarks came in the wake of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, where the DCP candidate defeated the UDA candidate.
“We as Mt Kenya East do not care what happens in Mt Kenya West,” he posted.
In another message, he declared, “We don’t care! We’re Mt Kenya East!”
Gachagua warned against the divisive remarks, urging the region to remain united and resist what he termed attempts to pit communities against one another for political gain.
“The only way Ruto can come back to power is if he succeeds in dividing the Mountain vote. If we add our votes to those of other Kenyans, he will go home,” he said.
“We cannot divide this Mountain; we must remain one. He [Ruto] knows that, which is why he has brought Ruku to divide the Mountain.”
Gachagua maintained the by-election had demonstrated that voters were increasingly united and should not be divided by pro-Ruto forces.
