The upcoming Mbeere North by-election should be a simple question of development, leadership, and the future of the constituency. But Rigathi Gachagua has turned it into something entirely different. Instead of allowing the people of Mbeere to choose a leader who will represent them, work for them, and protect their interests, he has made the by-election a personal battleground in his long war with President William Ruto.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said it plainly in Kivue: this by-election “is about development, not revenge.” And he is right. While the government focuses on completing ongoing projects and providing a candidate with a clear track record, Gachagua has camped in Mbeere, not to empower voters — but to weaponise them.
Everything about Gachagua’s messaging shows he is not interested in who becomes MP or what they can deliver. He wants the people of Mbeere to emotionally avenge him. He is asking them to fight his political battles rather than securing their own future. In his narrative, the by-election is not about roads, jobs, agriculture, bursaries, or stalled projects — it is about sending a message to Ruto.
But Mbeere North does not need to be anyone’s political shield. It does not need to be dragged into former power struggles between leaders who once sat in the same government. It needs a representative who can negotiate development, attract resources, and push the constituency forward.
Kindiki reminded residents that those now shouting the loudest “did little for Mbeere North” when they held power. Yet today, they want to turn the constituency into a stage for revenge politics.
The people of Mbeere deserve better. They deserve a leader — not a protest vote. They deserve progress — not to be used as pawns in someone else’s war.
