Goliath vs Soprano: Insults fly as Mt Kenya power struggle heats up

The political rivalry between Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and his predecessor Rigathi Gachagua has escalated into personal attacks as the two leaders battle for influence in the Mt Kenya region.

Using Meru as the stage for their latest confrontation, the leaders launched sharp attacks against each other, with Gachagua mocking Kindiki’s voice and referring to him as “soprano,” in a bid to portray the Deputy President as lacking the authority to command political support.

Gachagua accused Kindiki of occupying the Deputy President’s office illegitimately, saying he could not respect him because he had “stolen” the position.

“You claim that you must be respected, but you must understand that no one will respect you because the seat you are occupying doesn’t belong to you, you got the seat using shortcuts, Kasongo stole that seat for you,” Gachagua said.

He added: “You are not a leader, you are Ruto’s worker and you will only be accorded the respect of a worker and not a leader."

In response, Kindiki launched a fierce rebuttal, accusing Gachagua of engaging in divisive politics and attempting to incite residents of the Mt Kenya region.

According to Kindiki, Gachagua failed to perform his duties as Deputy President after allegedly insubordinating the President, which led to his impeachment.

“You brought disrepute to the office of the Deputy President and that’s why i'm the one who is occupying the office, you did not bring a single development project in Mt Kenya region and now you are busy calling me soprano, you must respect me or else I will deal with you ruthlessly,” he said.

Kindiki also highlighted his political experience, noting that he had served two terms as Tharaka Nithi Senator, as well as Deputy Speaker of the Senate, before being appointed Interior Cabinet Secretary.

By contrast, he said Gachagua had only served as a District Officer, a one-term MP and Deputy President for two years.

“You, Rigathi, was just a district officer and served one term as an MP. When you were appointed Deputy President, you undermined the government by fighting the President and sabotaging development programs. We will not allow anyone to destroy our country by inciting people,” he said.

In another attack, Kindiki alleged that Gachagua had been dismissed from the civil service for stealing maize meant for relief food, claiming the former Deputy President lacked the moral authority to lecture other leaders.

“I have told you to respect me. When you were in the seat, I did not disturb you, you must respect me, I’m the one now in the throne and you must respect me, leave me alone so that I focus on initiating development projects and unite Mt Kenya,’ Kindiki told Gachagua at another meeting.

Gachagua, however, strongly rejected the claims, terming them “nonsensical and baseless.”

He accused Kindiki of forging a dismissal letter and sharing it on social media in an attempt to discredit him.

“The claims I sold relief food are nonsensical and childish, Kindiki was Interior CS and if he wanted to interrogate my file he would have found the truth. He is not late, my personal number was 611592, I was employed on January 16, 1989, he faked a letter claiming I was fired on 1997 when I was actually serving as District Officer in Kakamega but the purported letter read that I was a DO in Laikipia.

Gachagua explained that he was seconded to serve as Personal Assistant to former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2001 until 2003, when Kenyatta lost the presidential election to Mwai Kibaki.

“How could I have been fired in 1997 while I was working in 2001. He doesn’t even use commons sense, although he is a professor he has spent most of his time with the people without education and he is now behaving like them. Even if you want to do forgery of a letter you ought to use common sense. In 1989 I was in Ngarua Lakipia, in 2000 I undertook a course to advance my experience in public administration at the Kenya Institute of Administration where I got a distinction,’ Gachagua added.

The two leaders have been locked in a contest over who should be recognised as the Mt Kenya region’s political spokesperson.

Kindiki maintains that, as the sitting Deputy President, he is the most senior political figure in the region and therefore its rightful leader.

Gachagua, however, insists he remains the region’s political kingpin, arguing that he was elected on the 2022 presidential ticket.