The rolling hills of Mt. Kenya, a political powerhouse in Kenya’s electoral landscape, are once again at the center of a fierce battle for loyalty.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, ousted in a dramatic impeachment in October 2024, has launched the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), aiming to cement his influence over the region’s voters ahead of 2027.

But his call for a unified Mt. Kenya under DCP’s banner is meeting resistance, with critics accusing him of hypocrisy and attempting to impose a one-party dominance in a region where the Jubilee Party, led by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, still holds sway.

Gachagua’s political pivot is striking. In 2022, as William Ruto’s running mate, he championed the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), urging Mt. Kenya to abandon Jubilee, dismissing Kenyatta’s legacy as inadequate. He declared UDA the region’s sole political vehicle and Ruto its kingpin, a stance that swayed many but alienated Jubilee loyalists.

Now, estranged from Ruto and leading DCP, Gachagua seeks to rally the same voters he once pulled toward UDA. His launch event on May 15, 2025, was chaotic, with security firing shots to disperse disruptors, underscoring the high stakes of his gamble to control Mt. Kenya’s vote, which delivered over 40% of Ruto’s 2022 tally.

Critics highlight Gachagua’s inconsistency. X posts, like one from @KenyansVoice, call his push for “political zoning”—where leaders must dominate their ethnic bases— a “thinly veiled power grab.” Others recall his 2022 attacks on Jubilee, when he dismissed Kenyatta’s leadership, even as the former president fought to preserve the party against defectors like Sabina Chege and Kanini Kega.

Jubilee’s enduring presence, with Kenyatta now backing Fred Matiang’i for 2027, challenges Gachagua’s narrative that Mt. Kenya lacked a party in 2022.

The irony deepens with Gachagua’s late brother, Nderitu, who ran for Nyeri governor in 2013 under the Grand National Union (GNU), rejecting Kenyatta’s The National Alliance (TNA). Kenyatta supported Nderitu’s bid without branding him foolish, a contrast to Gachagua’s current attacks on DCP dissenters. This history fuels accusations that Gachagua’s push for party loyalty is less about unity and more about control.

Mt. Kenya’s political weight—spanning 10 counties—makes it a prize worth fighting for. Gachagua’s impeachment has fueled anti-Ruto sentiment, potentially boosting DCP, but his insistence on exclusivity risks alienating voters who cherish choice.

With Jubilee’s deep roots and Kenyatta’s influence intact, Gachagua’s vision of a DCP-dominated region faces an uphill battle. As 2027 looms, the question remains: can he persuade

Mt. Kenya to embrace his new party, or will his past contradictions and aggressive tactics cost him the region’s trust?