DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua is calling on Imenti North voters to replace their long-serving MP Abdul Rahim Dawood with a native Meru representative, saying mothers in Meru have enough sons to lead the cosmopolitan constituency.
Speaking on Monday during tour of Meru County, Gachagua questioned the constituency’s continued support for Dawood despite what he termed the availability of indigenous Meru leaders.
“Ndio tumchague Rahim kwa Wameru elfu mia moja, tumekosa Mmeru mmoja wa kutuongoza? Ni aibu, si aibu? Kwani akina mama wetu wa Meru hawawezi kuzaa kiongozi? Mimi naomba MP wangu hapa Meru akue Mmeru mwenzangu,” Gachagua told the crowd, framing the 2027 parliamentary race around ethnic identity rather than performance.
The remarks have drawn immediate attention in a constituency where voters have historically prioritised individual track records over ethnicity.
Dawood, a three-term Independent MP and one of Meru County’s longest-serving legislators, was born to Kenyan parents of Asian descent who settled in the region decades ago.
Raised in Meru, Dawood speaks and writes fluent Kimeru and has fully embraced local culture.
His electoral success has remained consistent across 14 years in Parliament, with constituents frequently citing his accessibility and development record.
The MP has twice secured re-election as an Independent and consistently ranks among Meru County’s highest-rated MPs.
The remarks are likely to fuel accusations from Gachagua’s opponents, who have previously charged the impeached Deputy President with advancing tribal politics.
