Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu attacked former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of orchestrating a dangerous campaign to radicalize the Mt Kenya region for personal political gain.
In a sharply worded statement shared on his social media platforms, Wambugu likened Gachagua’s approach to “creating political terrorists,” alleging that his strategy involves turning loyalists into “suicide bombers” willing to destroy others’ careers in exchange for promised political rewards.
“Gachagua’s plan is to create political terrorists. His strategy is to radicalize as many people as he can in Mt Kenya; make them suicide bombers; and send them to blow up other people’s political careers as he promises them nominations and direct tickets,” Wambugu wrote.
The former lawmaker warned that the growing wave of hostility and political intolerance in Mt Kenya threatens to distort democratic engagement in the region. “I don’t know how many people realize that Gachagua is trying to normalize toxic politics, especially in Mt Kenya,” he said. “And you just have to walk around online to see how dangerous it is.”
Wambugu, once a close ally of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, has often positioned himself as a critic of divisive politics in the region. His latest remarks come amid heightened tension between political camps in Central Kenya, where leaders are jostling for influence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua, who has sought to reassert himself as the region’s political kingpin after being dropped from the Cabinet, has been mobilizing supporters around what he calls the “One-Man, One-Vote, One-Shilling” campaign — a push for equitable resource allocation based on population.
While his allies describe him as a defender of Mt Kenya’s economic interests, his critics say the movement has taken on an increasingly populist and confrontational approach.
