Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua on Friday hosted Laikipia North MP Saaya Tema Karmushu at his Wamunyoro residence, in what appeared to be another step in his quiet but deliberate effort to remain politically relevant after his impeachment.
In a statement shared after the meeting, Gachagua said the talks centred on development priorities and political issues affecting Laikipia County, describing the engagement as part of broader consultations with leaders from across the country.
“Today at Wamunyoro Residence, I held a consultative engagement with Saaya Tema Karmushu from Laikipia North Constituency,” Gachagua said. “Our discussions focused on a range of development and political issues pertinent to the constituency and Laikipia County as a whole.”
The meeting comes at a time when Gachagua has increasingly positioned himself as a rallying point for leaders dissatisfied with the Kenya Kwanza administration, particularly from the Mt Kenya region and neighbouring counties. Since his removal from office, he has used Wamunyoro as a political base, hosting MPs, MCAs and grassroots leaders under the banner of consultations on development and the country’s political direction.
Allies say the engagements are meant to build a coalition around shared economic grievances, including rising taxes, stalled development projects and what they describe as the marginalisation of certain regions. Critics, however, view the meetings as the early architecture of a political comeback aimed at influencing the 2027 general election.
Gachagua said the consultations would continue, signalling that the Laikipia meeting was part of a longer-term strategy rather than a one-off visit. “We shall continue to engage with leaders in aligning our efforts towards the shared goal of transforming our constituencies into prosperous and resilient regions,” he said.
Karmushu has not publicly detailed his take on the meeting, but his visit is likely to draw attention in a county that has often been politically divided, with leaders balancing local interests against shifting national alliances.
For Gachagua, the optics matter. Each meeting reinforces his claim that, despite his impeachment, he still commands influence and remains a central figure in conversations about development, regional power and the country’s political future.
“I look forward to continued partnership and impactful initiatives that will benefit our people and drive positive change,” he said, framing the engagement as people-centred rather than purely political.
