Ngunjiri Wambugu: Uhuru is current Mt Kenya kingpin

By Wanderi Kamau

Former Nyeri Town Member of Parliament Ngunjiri Wambugu has declared that retired President Uhuru Kenyatta remains the undisputed political kingpin of the Mt Kenya region—not former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Speaking on Tuesday, 6 May 2025, during an interview on Kogi’s Corner Online TV political show, Wambugu asserted that Uhuru still holds the region’s leadership mantle, having been officially crowned by the Kikuyu community elders.

“What I know is up to now, the leader that Mt Kenya have is Uhuru Kenyatta,” said Wambugu. “I am happy because even Gachagua has been reiterating that. He is the one with the region’s leadership mantle. Uhuru was crowned by the community’s elders. The same way, the same elders will take it from Uhuru and crown it to the deserving leader.”

His remarks are likely to trigger strong reactions from the Gachagua camp, which considers the former Deputy President the rightful political kingpin of the region following his rise to national prominence after the 2022 General Election.

Wambugu, who served as Gachagua’s political advisor until their fallout, voiced concern over Gachagua’s plan to launch a new political party that could rival the Jubilee Party, of which Wambugu is still a member.

‘This is reverting to political dictatorship’

“I was a political advisor to the Deputy President (then) Rigathi Gachagua,” he said. “We launched the Gitungati slogan… As a democrat, I have a problem with the launching of a party (Gachagua’s forthcoming party) which would challenge Jubilee Party, which I am member. This is reverting to political dictatorship. I don’t subscribe to that.”

He warned that turning Mt Kenya into a one-party zone would be a step backward for democracy. Instead, Wambugu emphasized the need for political diversity and tolerance in the region.

Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu during the interview. Photo/Ngunjiri Wambugu

“Even if we are launching political parties for 2027, we shouldn’t fight other political parties in Mt Kenya,” he said. “Mt Kenya should avoid voting based on political waves. Currently, people are regretting voting out the right people.”

Wambugu dismissed speculation that he had resigned from his advisory role due to not being offered a top seat in Gachagua’s planned party.

“I did not resign from my position as Gachagua’s political advisor for not being offered the Secretary-General position in his forthcoming party,” he clarified.

He also refuted claims that he used his position to enrich himself or act as a gatekeeper for individuals seeking access to Gachagua.

“I did not make money from people who wanted to see Gachagua… I was not gate-keeping. Those who are spreading those rumours are tarnishing my name,” he said.

Wants smaller parties to remain intact

Reflecting on his experience working with Gachagua, Wambugu criticized the emerging leadership model of the proposed party, comparing it to parties where leaders issue top-down directives without question.

“The key lessons he learnt from his impeachment is creating a party like Wiper or ODM, whose leaders (Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka) issue political directives and decrees to its members without any question,” he observed.

According to Wambugu, Gachagua is falsely credited with uniting the Mt Kenya region. “Gachagua did not unite Mt Kenya people. He found them already united,” he said.

Wambugu, who lost his seat in 2022 to UDA’s Duncan Mathenge, revealed that he is preparing to run again for the Nyeri Town parliamentary seat. He claimed many of his former constituents have expressed regret over voting him out.

“Nyeri people tell me that they usually regret for voting me out despite my development track record in 2022,” he said.

He stressed the need to protect Mt Kenya’s political diversity and resist efforts to collapse smaller parties into a single dominant formation.

“I would not like the present political parties in Mt Kenya to fold,” he said. “We should not accept any move to fold the present political parties. This ensures political democracy.”

“Let us not create a situation where if you are not from Mt Kenya, you can’t start a political party,” he added. “If we want to have one political party in Mt Kenya, where will the likes of Martha Karua go?”