In a candid Inooro TV interview, former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu delivered a sharp critique of Mt. Kenya’s political trajectory, taking aim at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democratic Congress Party (DCP) and its “wantam” slogan while reaffirming Jubilee’s enduring relevance.
His remarks, drawn from a year as Gachagua’s political advisor, offer a sobering reflection on regional unity, political ambition, and the risks of divisive rhetoric ahead of 2027.
Wambugu, a staunch Jubilee loyalist, revealed he parted ways with Gachagua in February 2025 when the latter insisted on forming DCP, rejecting Wambugu’s plea to join Jubilee.
“I couldn’t abandon a party with a decade-long track record for a new regional outfit,” he said, warning that DCP’s push for a one-party Mt. Kenya risks alienating voters. “If turnout drops to 60% in 2027, that’s 3 million people staying home. How does ‘wantam’ work then?”
He painted Gachagua as a formidable yet flawed politician, crediting his ability to sway 3.5 million Mt. Kenya votes to UDA in 2022 but critiquing his haste. “Rigathi’s strength is his words—‘cousin,’ ‘wantam’—but his weakness is timing,” Wambugu noted. He suggested Gachagua’s DCP strategy is less about ousting President Ruto and more about securing 60 MPs to negotiate post-2027, mirroring Raila Odinga’s playbook. “Politicians have no shame,” he quipped, hinting at Gachagua’s potential to reconcile with Ruto.
The impeachment of Gachagua, Wambugu said, was a personal blow, orchestrated by allies he helped elect in 2022. Yet, he urged MPs who backed it to explain their motives, as “Kenyans deserve both sides of the story.” He also debunked accusations of being a gatekeeper or extorting money for meetings with Gachagua, calling them “propaganda” that couldn’t hold up given his year-long tenure.
Turning to Jubilee, Wambugu clarified that the party’s current “mashinani” tours are not campaigns but town halls to learn from 2022’s missteps, where it lost ground but retained 30 MPs. Led by Uhuru Kenyatta and Jeremiah Kioni, Jubilee is eyeing a comeback, with former CS Fred Matiang’i emerging as a grassroots favorite for 2027. “The ground loves Matiang’i, and we think he’s a strong candidate,” Wambugu said, adding that Jubilee will soon pitch its agenda to aspirants nationwide, not just its own.
On “wantam,” Wambugu was blunt: it’s a catchy slogan for 2027, but irrelevant to Kenyans’ immediate needs. “A child sent home for school fees can’t wait two years for ‘wantam,’” he said, urging leaders to focus on solutions over rhetoric.
He also left the door open to future collaboration with Gachagua, noting, “In politics, there are no permanent enemies, only interests.”
As Mt. Kenya navigates its political future, Wambugu’s warning is clear: unity, not division, will shape 2027. With Jubilee rebuilding and DCP rising, the region’s voters face a pivotal choice—back a singular voice or preserve a diverse coalition. For now, Wambugu and Jubilee are betting on the latter, banking on experience and pragmatism to reclaim their edge.
