Gachagua phones allies, hints at forming new political party

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hinted at forming a new political party ahead of the 2027 General Election, even as he rallied Mt Kenya region to defend his political foot-soldiers against alleged intimidation from the State.

Mr Gachagua, on Wednesday, said he is consulting widely so as to come up with a path that will be followed by residents from the vote-rich region.

“I am consulting with leaders, including the clergy, so as to come up with the right path that we will follow moving forward. We will reorganize ourselves, as a community, and we will not allow ourselves to get into the ditch that we are currently in," said Mr Gachagua.

"Never again will we attend a wedding using another person’s vehicle (signaling a move to ditch the ruling party - UDA)," he added.

The former DP was addressing residents of Nyeri town through a phone call that was made to him by Nyandarua Senator John Methu, who was in the company of a series of other leaders during a stop-over.

“I am appealing to you to safeguard those leaders (his allies) because they are the heroes of our community. I will soon inform you on the path that we will follow. I am urging you to remain strong and calm,” Mr Gachagua said.

He urged Nyeri County residents not to support leaders who endorsed his impeachment bid in Parliament, but instead rally behind those who stood by him to the end.

“In Nyeri County, we are fully behind Governor Kahiga, Mukurwe-ini MP and former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu. The rest betrayed us. When that time comes, you will deal with them the way you always do. You should scout for strong defenders of our community,” the former second-in-command said.

Senators Methu (Nyandarua), Dan Maanzo (Makueni), Joe Nyutu (Murang’a), MPs Gathoni Wamuchomba (Githunguri) and George Koimburi (Juja) and former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi accompanied Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Central region headquarters in Nyeri town.

Mr Thang’wa was grilled by DCI officers for the better part of the day over the chaos that erupted at a funeral in Bibirioni village, Limuru, on November 28, 2024.

Mr Thang’wa alleged that the summons in Nyeri were part of the schemes choreographed by the government to intimidate them for supporting the former DP.

“We are the victims of what transpired in Limuru and we feel that this is part of the intimidation from the State. We do not understand why they summoned us here in Nyeri yet the incident occurred in Kiambu,” Mr Thang’wa said.

“We have realised that they have turned us into suspects who assaulted people and damaged properties during the funeral. We are not going to be cowed and stopped from fighting for our people. Whether they send us to the DCI a hundred times, we will comply,” he added.

Mr Mwathi said he had accompanied Mr Thang’wa at the Central regional headquarters, but ended up being part of the target of their investigations.

“I had come here to accompany Senator Thang’wa. But in the process, I volunteered to provide information of what transpired on that particular day because I was present. However, they instructed me to record a statement and that I was one of the perpetrators of the heinous acts that occurred in that funeral,” the former Limuru MP said.

Mr Mwathi, who had allegedly been abducted during the chaos, claimed he was released by his abductors and dumped at the Southern Bypass.

Their lawyer Ndegwa Njiru accused the DCI of witch-hunting and failing to execute their mandate.

“These guys (DCI) are on a fishing expedition and they do not understand what they are looking for. Anybody who is speaking against the President is becoming a victim of intimidation,” said Mr Njiru.

Mr Thang’wa and Mr Mwathi were summoned to appear before the DCI headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday morning.