Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has intensified criticism of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, saying the Mbeere North by-election has revealed a significant loss of his political influence in the Mt Kenya region.
Ruku spoke on Saturday during a visit to Embu Level 5 Hospital, where he met a UDA mobiliser injured during the by-election. He argued that the narrow victory by UDA’s Leonard Muriuki wa Muthende was a clear signal that voters were embracing leaders focused on development rather than confrontational politics.
He declared that the outcome had strengthened Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s political standing in the region, describing him as the emerging centre of Mt Kenya’s political direction.
In a direct, unfiltered message, Ruku told Gachagua to step back from national politics and return home, saying the former Deputy President’s approach had become unpopular among local voters. He insisted the ground was shifting and that residents had sent a strong message demanding a different style of leadership.
According to the IEBC tally, Wamuthende won the seat with 15,802 votes against Democratic Party candidate Newton Kariuki Ndwiga’s 15,308 a tight contest that has since stirred intense political debate.
Former Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri added to the conversation, arguing that the by-election clearly showed Kindiki now enjoys broader support in the region than Gachagua. He described the race as a direct contest between the two leaders and said the results confirmed Kindiki’s growing grassroots backing.
The Mbeere North outcome has now become a major talking point, with political players across Mt Kenya reassessing alliances and influence ahead of the next election cycle.
