No Kikuyu leader in post-independent Kenya has ever united Mt. Kenya while remaining in the shadow of a godfather. In December 1988, Kenneth Matiba broke away from Moi, posing the greatest threat to the KANU regime. If not for the stroke that incapacitated him, the outcome might have been different.
In December 1991, Mwai Kibaki resigned from KANU and embarked on his opposition politics journey, ultimately leading to KANU’s decline. In 2002, Moi’s protégé, Uhuru Kenyatta, was defeated by a significant margin. By December 2005, Uhuru had fully emerged from Moi’s shadow, joining forces with Raila and other rebels to form the Orange Democratic Movement. This followed their NO camp’s defeat of the Bomas draft constitution in November 2005.
This move prompted Moi’s allies to attempt a takeover of KANU, but Uhuru had already become a shrewd and calculative politician. Currently, Gachagua is seen as a project of William Ruto in Mt. Kenya, whether he accepts it or not.
To establish his independence, Gachagua should advocate for the “one man, one shilling, one vote” policy, which resonates with many in Mt. Kenya. Additionally, he needs to build alliances across other regions. Merely sulking, complaining about helicopters, and hiding within UDA will lead nowhere. Ruto is a master tactician in political scheming, and dealing with such a smart politician requires equal intelligence.
