The political temperature in Mount Kenya East is rising as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua makes an aggressive push into Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki’s backyard, ahead of a major opposition tour scheduled for Saturday, June 21, 2025.
Gachagua, now leading the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), has been traversing the region to rally support and prepare the ground for what is set to be the first joint opposition tour in Mount Kenya. On Friday, he made notable stopovers in Embu and Chuka, where he was met with enthusiastic crowds. He described one of his interactions on X, formerly Twitter, stating, “On my way to Meru for public engagement, I had an unexpected stopover after residents of Chuka in Tharaka Nithi County blocked my convoy, asking me to speak with them… our collective effort towards a better Kenya is unstoppable.”
Chuka, a town closely associated with CS Kindiki, witnessed a symbolic moment as Gachagua’s reception highlighted growing political realignments within the region.
This tour is part of Gachagua’s intensified strategy to consolidate Mount Kenya behind the opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 General Election. Initially concentrating on Central Kenya, Gachagua is now expanding his efforts into Mount Kenya East, a region long seen as a political stronghold for the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition.
The anticipated opposition tour of Meru County will feature a formidable lineup of leaders including Martha Karua (PLP), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K), Fred Matiang’i (former Interior CS), and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka. This event marks a significant milestone for the opposition, which has not held a united campaign in the region since announcing their alliance in April 2025.
With the Mount Kenya bloc having delivered over 3.5 million votes to President William Ruto in 2022, the opposition’s renewed focus on the region could dramatically shift the political balance as the country heads toward the 2027 polls.
The unity tour is expected to not only boost visibility for the opposition but also challenge the dominance of Kenya Kwanza in one of the country’s most politically influential regions.
