As Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji languished in custody at Muthaiga Police Station, awaiting a bail ruling at Kahawa Law Courts on charges of allegedly financing violence during the Saba Saba protests, one figure was conspicuously absent: former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Mukunji, a vocal supporter of Gachagua, is the latest in a string of allies left to face legal battles alone, while the man they champion has reportedly fled to the United States, evading the fallout of his political crusades.
Gachagua, impeached in October 2024 after a dramatic fallout with President William Ruto, has positioned himself as a defender of the Mt. Kenya region, rallying supporters with promises of leadership and unity. Yet, his track record tells a different story—one of abandonment and betrayal. As his allies face arrests and intimidation for their allegiance, Gachagua’s absence raises questions about his commitment to those who risk their freedom for his cause.
Mukunji’s arrest is not an isolated case. Posts on X reveal a pattern of Gachagua’s supporters facing legal repercussions, with the former deputy president nowhere to be seen. On July 7, 2025, Mukunji was taken into custody, prompting local protests along the Embu-Nairobi highway as residents demanded his release.
Sources indicate that Gachagua, aware of plans to arrest more Kikuyu MPs aligned with him, has chosen to distance himself, leaving loyalists like Mukunji to bear the brunt of the state’s response.
This is not the first time Gachagua has failed to stand by his supporters. Between November 2024 and April 2025, he alleged a series of violent incidents targeting him and his followers, including disruptions at a Limuru funeral, a Nyeri prayer rally, and a church service at ACK St. Peter’s Cathedral.
In each instance, he accused the police of complicity or inaction, yet offered no visible support to those affected. His claims of being under surveillance by the National Intelligence Service and facing assassination plots further underscore his tendency to deflect blame rather than confront challenges head-on.
Gachagua’s leadership credentials are further tarnished by his tenure as deputy president. Far from uniting the Mt. Kenya region, he alienated key allies within his own government, sowing discord that culminated in his impeachment. Accused of corruption, inciting ethnic divisions, and undermining the administration, Gachagua’s ouster was a collective decision by those he once called allies. His inability to foster unity then mirrors his current failure to stand by those who fight for him now.
As Mukunji and others face the courts, Gachagua’s absence speaks louder than his rhetoric. A leader who aspires to the presidency should embody courage and loyalty, not retreat to safety while supporters face the consequences of his political battles.
The Mt. Kenya region deserves better than a figurehead who vanishes when the stakes are high. If Gachagua’s track record is any indication, his leadership ambitions are built on a foundation of self-preservation, not solidarity.
As the bail hearing unfolded at Kahawa Law Courts, the message was clear: those who fight for Rigathi Gachagua do so at their own peril. His silence is not just absence—it is abandonment.
