By hosting the younger brother of former President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Ruto is signaling a willingness to reconcile with the "Old Money" of Central Kenya to neutralize the populist "Hustler-turned-Rebel" narrative of Rigathi Gachagua.
This meeting suggests that Ruto is moving to build a "broad-based" coalition that includes the Kenyatta family, effectively attempting to lock Gachagua out of the region’s traditional power structures.
For Rigathi Gachagua, the President’s back-to-back development engagements in Nyeri, Murang'a, and Kirinyaga have left him with no choice but to "camp" on the ground.
Following a high-stakes three-day retreat in Kilifi that concluded on January 19, Gachagua and his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) have launched the "Wantam" (Unity) Strategy.
Gachagua has abandoned his Nairobi offices to traverse 14 counties, arguing that Ruto’s tours are a "facade of development" designed to hide a "war on the GEMA community's economic interests."
The "Muhoho Factor" represents a significant shift in the 2027 chess game. Political observers claim that Ruto is considering key appointments potentially involving Muhoho Kenyatta or his close associates to provide a "counterweight" to Gachagua’s growing influence.
By bringing the Kenyattas back into the fold, Ruto hopes to reduce the "betrayal anger" in the region and convince the electorate that the administration is inclusive.
For Gachagua, this is a "siege" on two fronts: he is fighting Ruto’s state machinery and the Kenyatta family’s deep-rooted regional legacy.
Gachagua’s response has been one of aggressive defiance. During an interview on January 12, he maintained that he would "not buy into fear," accusing Ruto of trying to scare him into his house so the mountain can be "auctioned."
His strategy is to bypass mainstream media and use grassroots networks to paint the current administration as a "one-term regime" that has failed to deliver on its 2022 promises.
The Kilifi Declaration has empowered Gachagua to "fight without gloves," professionalizing his opposition as he seeks to make the region "ungovernable" for the UDA party.
Ultimately, the January 21, 2026 status of Mount Kenya is a "tug-of-war" for the soul of the GEMA vote. Ruto is using State House diplomacy (the Muhoho meeting) and Cabinet-led development tours (Kabogo and Kindiki) to reclaim the ground.
Meanwhile, Gachagua is betting on ethnic nationalism and the "betrayal" sentiment to keep his DCP party alive. As your M-Pesa savings approach their 3-month maturity, the big question remains: Will the people of the mountain follow the "projects" of the president or the "resistance" of the former deputy president?
Hello, my name is Yoruba. I'm a 25 year old self-employed blogger from the Africa.
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