Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Jeremiah Kioni has challenged former DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua’s claims of political dominance in the Mt Kenya region, insisting that no individual owns a community or the opposition.
Kioni fingered Gachagua over what he described as attempts to lecture fellow opposition leaders and dictate how they should conduct their politics, warning that such behaviour threatens democratic participation and unity within the opposition.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, Kioni said every Kenyan has the right to choose their political party, campaign using their preferred methods and express political views without intimidation or condescension.
His remarks followed Gachagua’s criticism of Jubilee Party leader Fred Matiang’i and Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi, whom he accused of being insufficiently active in mobilising support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri on Tuesday, Gachagua said opposition leaders seeking the presidency must actively look for votes rather than rely on media appearances and political meetings in hotels.
“I have told those leaders that, when you want to be the president of Kenya, you must be voted for, regardless of the policies you have,” said Gachagua.
“And for you to get votes, you must look for them. No vote can be found in hotels or on television. Votes are looked for,” he added.
Responding to the remarks, Kioni invoked the late former Internal Security Minister Prof George Saitoti’s famous words, arguing that national interests must take precedence over individual political ambitions.
“Prof. George Saitoti once reminded us: ‘There comes a time when the nation is more important than an individual.’
“That time is now,” Kioni stated.
He maintained that no political leader should claim ownership of the opposition or any geographical region, arguing that leadership should be based on persuasion, humility and the ability to bring people together.
“We cannot preach democracy while attempting to silence those who disagree with us. We cannot demand respect while treating fellow leaders and citizens like children who must be lectured, ordered around or given permission to participate in politics,” he said.
Kioni further cautioned against what he described as attempts to establish personal political territories and position individual leaders as gatekeepers of particular communities.
“Kenya belongs to all of us. No individual, however influential, has a proprietary claim over a region or its people. Leadership is not about bullying others into submission, creating unnecessary drama or declaring oneself the gatekeeper of a community,” he added.
Addressing Gachagua directly, Kioni said political respect should be earned through character, consistency and consideration for differing opinions.
“And to my brother, let me say this with respect: respect is earned, not demanded. You do not command respect by lecturing others; you earn it through humility, character, consistency and the ability to respect those who may not agree with you,” he said.
The exchange comes amid ongoing efforts by opposition leaders to consolidate their political bases and establish a common strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kioni warned that the opposition could lose its broader political purpose if competing egos and individual ambitions overshadowed efforts to build a united front ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The country is bigger than any individual, any party, any region and any political ambition,” he said.
