Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has intensified his criticism of President William Ruto, taking his political offensive to Ukambani with a series of rallies in Makueni County.
Speaking during public engagements in Mbooni Constituency, including Mbumbuni, Kikima and Mukuyuni centres, Mr Gachagua painted a picture of a country in distress, accusing the Kenya Kwanza administration of failure across key sectors.
“Kenyans, do not bow, do not bend to this despotic regime ripping our Nation,” he said. “What is working? SHA? Tax regime? Security? Agriculture? Healthcare? Social security? Foreign affairs? Education? Nothing! All failed!”
The former deputy president, who has lately positioned himself as a key figure in the emerging opposition outfit dubbed the “United Alternative Government”, claimed that citizens had been abandoned by their leaders.
“The people, who are supreme, have been left on their own. Their government left them and went on a looting spree,” he said.
During the tour, Mr Gachagua sought to rally support in the region, repeatedly referring to residents as “cousins” and thanking them for what he described as their commitment to national transformation.
“The people of Kenya are determined and committed to reclaiming their country,” he told a gathering in Kikima. “We have no luxury of time. We stand steadfast and united in the ongoing struggle for a stronger, better Kenya.”
In Mukuyuni, he linked the push to what he called the “Wantam Resolution”, saying it signalled readiness among Kenyans for political change ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“As the United Alternative Government, we have a responsibility to usher in this new era and restore our government to its rightful path of sanity and progress,” he said.
Mr Gachagua also used the rallies in Wote town to sharpen his attack on the administration, urging Kenyans to back his camp in the next polls.
“We shall restore this with your card on August 10, 2027,” he said.
The tour marks Mr Gachagua’s latest attempt to expand his political base beyond his Mt Kenya stronghold into Ukambani, a region that has traditionally leaned towards opposition politics.
His remarks are likely to further deepen political divisions, coming amid an increasingly charged atmosphere as early alignments for the 2027 election begin to take shape.
