Impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua erupted into a tirade in Kutus, Kirinyaga County, hurling personal insults at Governor Anne Waiguru and her deputy, Muthee “Karinda” Mathangani, in what observers see as a desperate attempt to reassert his fading grip on Mt Kenya politics.
In a rally meant to galvanize his supporters, Gachagua stunned even loyalists when he sneered, “Wewe Gavana Waiguru, wewe Karinda, kwani nyinyi hamna akili?” — remarks widely condemned as uncouth and unbecoming of a former national leader.
The ex-DP, touring the region alongside opposition figures Martha Karua and Kalonzo Musyoka, accused Waiguru and her deputy of being “Ruto puppets,” blaming them for undermining his quest to “unite the mountain.” Yet, notably, Gachagua avoided direct criticism of President William Ruto, focusing instead on his Kikuyu rivals — a move analysts say betrays insecurity more than strategy.
His bitter outburst, the latest in a string of personal attacks since his impeachment, drew swift backlash. Governor Waiguru brushed off the remarks as “desperate noise from a sidelined actor,” while political watchers warned that Gachagua’s rhetoric risks reigniting ethnic tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Once hailed as a loyal lieutenant and unifier, Gachagua’s tone has turned abrasive, evoking memories of the tribal hardliners he once opposed. Critics contrast his approach with the restraint of leaders like Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, who managed dissent without descending into insults.
Gachagua’s firebrand act may electrify diehard supporters, but it signals a man adrift — once powerful, now fighting for relevance. Unless he tempers his politics with decorum, his dream of “mountain control” may collapse under the weight of his own words.
