Political pundits are now worried that the tribalism charge that President William Ruto allies are levelling against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as among grounds for impeachment might replay in more vicious scale. 

Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse in his grounds for seeking impeachment of the DP, cited tribal inclinations of the second in command where he sells himself as Mountain warrior to be key to the push to depose him.

However, political scientist Gasper Odhiambo says "the president will run into entrenched tribalism and regionalism in a magnitude that is bigger than what he seeks to address".

He said just like political scientist Harold Lasswell defined politics to be "who gets what, when, and how", President Ruto will face the same dilemma first in the Mountain and then in the whole country.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah (Kikuyu MP) told us on Wednesday that "we are pursuing a national script that will civilise our democracy and the axe is not limited to the DP only, but all those who hold position of power...those who cannot file themselves behind the national flag".

"Removal of Deputy President will be big statement about what President Ruto stands for regarding national unity and cohesion," Mr Ichung'wah said.

Mr Odhiambo said politics of courtship, domination, manipulation and consolidating being how best one will reward and deny, President Ruto will certainly face the music, adding that it is not easy as his loyalists want to put it.

"Already the interests are at their most heightened best. Removal of Mr Gachagua from office comes with huge interests since there must be shifts in rewards," he said. 

He said that "talkshows all over are awash with lists of who becomes new DP, who becomes what in one more time revamped government as well as who gets what vantage point ahead of 2027 and 2032".

He said the common denominator in that political arithmetic is tribalism based on how to gang up as big tribes with their parties to gain advantage.

Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina who did not support the tabling of the impeachment motion said so far the interests have started to flare.

"The President has already brought in opposition leader Raila Odinga loyalists into government. They have not stopped dreaming of reaping maximum gain and already have started showing interest in DP post," Ms Maina told us.

Ms Maina said "the negotiations for the Odinga men to join the Ruto government involved demanding for the DP slot".

She said "I can confirm to you that one of the names that were proposed is that of a first term governor in Nyanza".

Ms Maina said she anticipates Gachagua impeachment to bring in those passions where to pass it, politicians from Mr Odinga's camp will demand assurance that they will be rewarded to fill the vacancy.

Former Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi says the biggest dilemma for President Ruto will be in Mt Kenya region.

"Let us not lie to ourselves that this impeachment debate is popular in Mt Kenya. It is not and the President's rating cannot be anywhere near the 87 percent he garnered in the 2022 General Election," Mr Ngugi said.

Mr Ngugi said the president's big dilemma if true that he seeks to unite the country without isolating others, will be about winning back the Mountain's support.

"His allies are telling us that he will make the mountain happy by delivering projects. He knows better since his predecessor Mr Uhuru Kenyatta tried making this region happy by unleashing developments but eventually politics carried the day and area voters rebelled," he said.

Kikuyu Council of Elders Chairman Wachira Kiago said "Mt Kenya is undergoing a fluid phase of sponsored divisions and it can only get worse".

He said ground debates are nothing, but hardened tribalism and regionalism that the President says he is fighting.

He wondered how DP Gachagua can be accused of tribalism by those from the same Mt Kenya who have said they want Interior CS Kithure Kindiki to be their spokesman.

He said if they were genuine, they should have discarded Gachagua as their spokesman and pick, say, Prof Anyang' Nyong'o or Aisha Jumwa as their spokesman.

"Should Mr Gachagua be removed from office, the President has dangled that seat to Prof Kindiki and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro. Nyeri County believes that seat was theirs for five(5) years," Mr Kiago said.

He added that people like Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri and former Public Service CS Moses Kuria have also exhibited signs of eyeing that seat.

"The President has also hinted that running mate can also be a female hence igniting passions of benefit in Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga," he said.

He added that "we have our networks across the country and the raging debate is about Gachagua's position being up for grabs on grounds of tribe, region, and political affiliations--the very things his ouster motion seeks to heal".

National Democratic Congress Youths Leader Gladys Njoroge on Wednesday told us that "we as Gen Z fraternity also want to be considered for that position should it be declared vacant".

She said the elderly believe they have an entitlement to senior leadership positions "where the President is 60 years old and the besieged Deputy is 58 years old".

She said beyond tribe, region, political party, and gender cards, even age should be included in the characteristics of the ideal replacement.

"Even us in the youth bracket also discreetly adhere to politics of tribe and region since in coming up with constitutional understanding of terms like regional balance and face of Kenya we must ask ourselves where we come from," Ms Njoroge said.

Political Scientist Barrack Muluka on Wednesday told AVDelta News that "the biggest problem facing the President is that even if Mr Gachagua is hounded out of office, he is not the type to go home and keep quiet".

"DP Gachagua is a man who has been spoiling for a fight and his exit from office will send him directly to the war terraces against the President Ruto rule," Dr Muluka said.

He said one of the things that have exposed Mr Gachagua to the vagaries of impeachment is lack of a political party to host his Mountain votes that he helped Ruto get to win.

The National Democrats party chairman Thuo Mathenge said "we are now back to the question of how wise it is not having our own ethnic party".

Mr Mathenge said political parties being special purpose vehicles in power contest, “never again will the Mt Kenya region ever go into a contest without an own party.”

Such declarations throw cold water on President Ruto's drive of pushing for the collapsing of Kenya Kwanza Alliance parties to form a national party called United Democratic Alliance.

"We will not accept that and we must have our own political party as a Mountain. It is something we have done since 1920s when a youthful politician Harry Thuku initiated the policy of belonging to an inhouse party," Mr Mathenge said.

Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni said "the President has succeeded in arousing tribal and regional passions more than ever in the history of this country".

"President Ruto rule is driving Kenya from roadmap to civilisation to barbarism of discussing petty issues like tribe, region and party as tools of political reward or punishment," Mr Kioni said.