Mt Kenya elders are stepping up efforts to reconcile former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Democratic Change Party leader Rigathi Gachagua ahead of the 2027 General Election. This move is being driven by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who is reportedly linked to the push. The reconciliation drive marks at least the fourth attempt since 2022 to bridge the divide between the two former political allies.
Kiama Kia Ma chairman Kung'u Muigai stated that the elders are "close to succeeding" in their efforts and urged the public to be patient, noting that Kenyatta would choose the date for a proposed meeting. A session tentatively planned for Tuesday failed to take place after Kenyatta indicated he was unavailable. Gachagua has since denied that any specific meeting had been arranged, though he stopped short of ruling out a future engagement.
Gachagua had previously expressed a desire to visit Kenyatta at his Ichaweri home to brief him on consultations held at his Wamunyoro residence and to seek the former president's counsel and blessings ahead of 2027. However, Gachagua also stated that he believed former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i represented a Kenyatta-backed effort to erode his influence in the Mt Kenya region.
Elders' leader Joseph Kaguthi revealed that the group intends to consult both political and religious leaders and is pushing to hold a concrete meeting before December. Muigai added that the discussions would also address the broader question of who should be recognised as the authoritative voice for the Mt Kenya region in national politics.
The origins of the rift between Kenyatta and Gachagua date back to 2022, when elders first urged Gachagua to align with then-President Kenyatta. However, Kenyatta ultimately threw his weight behind Raila Odinga under the Azimio coalition, while Gachagua joined William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza camp, which went on to win the presidency.
Following Gachagua's impeachment in October 2024, elders made another attempt to broker a settlement, but Ruto's separate overtures to Kenyatta complicated that process. Kindiki is now reported to have approached Kiraitu Murungi, asking him to use his influence to draw Kenyatta into the dialogue. Political analysts Mixson Gitau and Bernard Njue both pointed to the ongoing rift as a factor contributing to a leadership vacuum in the region.
The Mt Kenya bloc cannot afford to enter the 2027 election season fragmented, according to the elders. Njue warned that without unity among the region's key figures, "we will divide our people." The elders' efforts aim to bring Kenyatta and Gachagua together, with the goal of presenting a united front in the upcoming elections.
Key points
- Mt Kenya elders are pushing for a reconciliation meeting between Uhuru Kenyatta and Rigathi Gachagua before December.
- The rift between Kenyatta and Gachagua originated in 2022, when they backed different coalitions.
- The leadership vacuum in the Mt Kenya region is attributed to the ongoing rift between the two leaders.
