Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi has hit back at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua following his remarks criticising the quality of leaders elected by Mt Kenya voters during the 2022 General Election.
In a statement on Sunday, November 8, Wamumbi accused Gachagua of repeatedly insulting leaders who are not politically aligned with him, arguing that voters had the right to choose their representatives.
The MP’s response came a day after Gachagua challenged lawyers from the Mt Kenya region to seek elective positions, saying their entry into politics could help improve the quality of leadership in Parliament.
Speaking during the second edition of the Ngemi Cia Watho festival at Thika Greens Golf Resort on Saturday, November 7, Gachagua described the situation in the region as an “elective shame”, blaming voters for electing leaders he considered unqualified.
However, Wamumbi dismissed the remarks, accusing the DCP leader of repeating the same attacks whenever he addresses political gatherings.
“It is becoming increasingly unfortunate that Rigathi Gachagua continues to insult leaders who are not affiliated with him. Leaders who were elected in 2022 by the people,” Wamumbi wrote.
He added that Gachagua appeared to be recycling the same insults instead of allowing voters to judge their elected representatives.
“Aambiwe ni sawa basi tumeskia. He doesn’t have to keep repeating the same thing every time. The people will decide for themselves,” he stated.
Wamumbi also questioned Gachagua’s political choices during the July 16 Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, where the former Deputy President backed Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho.
Ngotho won the mini-poll with 35,440 votes, defeating United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyaga, who garnered 5,450 votes.
Taking issue with Gachagua’s criticism of elected leaders, Wamumbi argued that the former Deputy President should have supported a lawyer in Ol Kalou if he was genuinely concerned about the qualifications of those seeking parliamentary positions.
The Mathira MP went further to question Ngotho’s suitability for the position, using harsh language to describe the candidate without providing specific evidence to support his claims.
Wamumbi also invoked former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s political slogan, “Positive Change”, suggesting that the country needed a different approach to leadership.
The exchange adds to the growing political differences between Gachagua and some elected leaders from the Mt Kenya region as political realignments gather pace ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Neither Gachagua nor Ngotho had publicly responded to Wamumbi’s latest remarks by the time of publication.
