A vicious war of words has erupted in Mt Kenya region pitting President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua loyalists as area 2027 General Election battlefronts take shape.

After abandoning a plan to impeach DP Gachagua, the president’s men appear to have mooted a new plot that involves political caravans whose agenda is to campaign against the president’s deputy in Mt Kenya region.

The president’s men claim that Gachagua’s rising popularity among his people is dangerous since his 2027 plan appear not well disclosed.

In the script, the president’s men now intend to blame Mr Gachagua for poor coffee, tea, and dairy prices as well as the return of illicit brews in the region.

Given that Mr Gachagua has been going around the country saying he was mandated by the president to ensure agricultural reforms take root in the country to benefit farmers in returns, the president loyalists now want to task the second in command to deliver.

"We are going around this whole region to preach about President Ruto's government good intentions for us. We are going to demand that we be spared the Gachagua rhetoric in this region and he should work," said Nyandarua Woman Representative Faith Gitau.

Speaking to us on Thursday, Ms Gitau said "we have to gird our government from internal sabotage by people who are trying to use our people for their own self interests".

However, President Ruto loyalists appear to have lost a key ally, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.

On Sunday, Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu who is a key Mr Nyoro ally and who has been calling for the sacking of Mr Gachagua said "we are demanding that the Deputy President be respected by all".

"We have decided to walk with the Deputy President and support him until he retires. I realized he is being fought by some leaders because of fighting for the plight of the people at the grassroots. Mr Gachagua defends the rights of the common man and is passionate about their issues," said Senator Nyutu.

He said Nyoro's troops will support the DP as he unites the people despite being accused of tribalism.

"Unity is the foundation of the nation's stability. People must be united at family level, clan, division, county, and eventually as a nation," added the senator.

Gatanga MP Edward Muriu who too has been demanding Gachagua sacking said the Deputy President has been put on trial and his crime is uniting the Mt Kenya people so that they can be able to lobby for development in their areas.

"If the DP is guilty, we are also guilty. He has united the people of Mt Kenya region so that they can push their agenda and development plan," Mr Muriu said.

He further said those planning to fight the DP must take note of Article 148 of the Constitution that says the President and the Deputy President are elected on one ticket.

"They are Siamese twins, cannot be separated. You can't disparage the Deputy President and claim you support the President. That is a fallacy," he said.

This raging fight in the Mountain, according to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) don Charles Mwangi, is emanating from Gachagua's unpredictable call for Mt Kenya unity and his insistence of forming a broad-based coalition ahead of 2027.

"Mr Gachagua's woes are emanating from his ongoing project of uniting Mt Kenya and reaching out to other regions and their leaders to form political partnership ahead of 2027," Mr Mwangi said.

Mr Mwangi told us on Thursday that Mr Gachagua does not appear enthusiastic about president Ruto's government's 10 year rule since the ground as it is now is very hostile about such a happening.

He said President Ruto loyalists in Mt Kenya appear to be campaigning to replace Mr Gachagua as running mate in 2027 and give Dr Ruto a plan to sidestep Gachagua's growing influence in the region.

"To achieve that agenda, they must slay Gachagua's political life in the region by setting him against the area people through issues that draw emotions...things like agricultural earnings, illicit brews and harsh business environment," he said.

As 2027 General Election mood appear to have already set in, the two(2) wings have invested in propaganda to battle each other in the populous vote basket.

With President Ruto's 87 percent acceptance that he bagged in the region in the area during the 2022 General Election appearing shaky, his loyalists blame Mr Gachagua of being the cause.

"The president is being set up against Mt Kenya people through blackmail by a person whose key interest is to benefit individually. He wants to accumulate wealth in the name of Mt Kenya people instead of serving the economic emancipation agenda of our people," said National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah.

Speaking in Mathioya constituency in Murang'a County last Saturday, Mr Ichung'wah said "Mr Gachagua is demanding self gains from oppressive brokers in the coffee, tea and dairy sectors".

"This man is demanding that Sh3 from every kilo of coffee and tea sold go to him and he be allowed to set up agricultural brokerage firms," he said.

He had earlier accused Mr Gachagua of demanding expressway of buying off business interests in the region "but coming out to hoodwink area people that he is fighting for them".

In the Mathioya meeting, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru--one of the names that is featuring prominently on possible Gachagua replacement in 2027--said "our government is not heading to the right direction owing to this man who was given work to do, but instead of serving, is busy politicking".

The politicking Mr Gachagua is being accused of progressing is that of demanding one man-one-shilling-one-vote formula, Mt Kenya unity, reciprocation of 2022 trust through reward commensurate as well as united approach to 2027 elections.

According to a member of "Mt Kenya 2027 recourse strategy" Mr Nduati Ngugi, a camp bringing together former president Uhuru Kenyatta loyalists, "the activities of President Ruto loyalists in the Mountain will force us to also come out to deal".

Mr Ngugi told us that "on September 6, 2024, we had a brainstorming meeting in a Sagana hotel in Kirinyaga County and resolved to play part in countering that wave".

"President Ruto loyalists are lying to us that illicit brews are back in the region because of Gachagua...then they should tell us what interior CS Kithure Kindiki is doing about it," Mr Ngugi said.

He added that agricultural reforms are about legislation, budget and implementation.

"We know Ichung'wa is the majority leader who should be leading the legislative agenda in the national assembly, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro is the budget committee chair in the national assembly and the implementation is by the cabinet that is chaired by the president," he said.

Mr Ngugi said "the president stands to lose big time in that line his loyalists have adopted because those of us who are at the directive of Mr Kenyatta won't agree that propaganda shape our 2027 decision".

Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni said that "we have secured opinion polls by state agents that portray president Ruto's popularity in Mt Kenya region to have plummeted to only five(5) percent".

He claimed that "the scare that has gripped State House and its loyalists is the basis that has seen attack dogs unleashed to battle Gachagua in the region".

Mr Kioni said that "the beautiful thing in this contest is that Mt Kenya is resolutely decided that anyone else is ideal for the presidency in 2027 apart from Dr Ruto".

But speaking at ACK St Patrick's Kayole Church, in Embakasi Central, Nairobi County on Sunday, Mr Gachagua appeared to respond to Dr Ruto loyalists telling them "we are not fools, we have always read into deceit and our resolve is very solid".

He called on political leaders to respect Kenyans, be humble and align with the aspirations of the people that elected them.

"Good leadership is about listening to the people, getting their views and aspirations and above all, don't take them for fools," he said.

He laughed off people he said are going around aloof “not listening to the people and not aligning with their aspirations”.

“Leaders not truthful...overlooking the fact that Kenyans are intelligent and can no longer be cheated,” Mr Gachagua said.

Mr Gachagua decried emergence of a plot "where some want to cast aspersions on my loyalty to the country, president and Mt Kenya region".

Mr Gachagua said "we in Mt Kenya remain cemented in the government and president we willfully installed".

He said his desire is to see the president succeed.

"This is our country, let us continue praying for our President and our leaders for God to give them wisdom and grace in leadership. We should also empower each other and give others opportunity," said Mr Gachagua.