One of the biggest reasons why former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was impeached in 2024—and why he cannot be trusted to lead Mt. Kenya or the country—is his dangerous reliance on tribal politics at the expense of national unity.
From the moment he assumed office, Gachagua fashioned himself as a “Mt. Kenya Kingpin” rather than a national leader. Instead of working to unite the country, he repeatedly pushed a divisive narrative that reduced national conversations to Kikuyu interests only. He often spoke as if Kenya’s presidency was a Mt. Kenya entitlement, alienating leaders from other communities.
While Kenyans were hoping for leaders who would build bridges and bring lasting unity, Gachagua doubled down on parochial politics—attacking the government when it did not appear to favour his ethnic group, and openly threatening other regions with exclusion. His speeches consistently focused on “our people,” “our turn,” and “our rightful share,” sending the message that other Kenyans were outsiders in their own country.
This kind of thinking is not only outdated but dangerous. Kenya cannot afford to be dragged backward into ethnic divisions that cost us lives and opportunities in the past. Mt. Kenya, a region full of entrepreneurs, scholars, and visionaries, deserves leadership that uplifts the whole country, not one that sows seeds of suspicion and division.
Gachagua was impeached not because of a witch hunt, but because he placed tribe over country and self-interest over national progress. That is not leadership. That is recklessness.
As we move forward, we must reject tribal incitement and embrace leaders who unite, not divide. Kenya is one nation — and Mt. Kenya must be part of the national solution, not a tribal island.
