Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Jeremiah Kioni has accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of seeking to establish political control over the Mt Kenya region by pushing leaders and aspiring politicians to rally behind one political outfit, warning that the strategy could weaken the region's influence in national politics.
Kioni claimed Gachagua was more interested in controlling parliamentary seats in Mt Kenya through the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) than building a political movement capable of attracting support across the country.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Thursday, Kioni accused the DCP leader of demanding unquestionable loyalty from elected leaders and those seeking political seats, arguing that the approach threatened political competition and the freedom of voters to choose their preferred representatives.
He portrayed Gachagua's strategy as an attempt to make him the central authority in the region's politics, with politicians expected to seek his approval before pursuing elective positions.
“He is very clear, very focused, razor-focused. I want to control Parliament. Members of Parliament from this region, all of them must come and take a knee before me,” Kioni said.
The Jubilee deputy party leader argued that Mt Kenya's past political leaders had taken a different approach, choosing to build relationships with other communities instead of relying solely on the region's voting numbers to pursue national leadership.
He cited former Presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta, saying their political approaches reflected an understanding that leading the country required support beyond their traditional ethnic base.
“You can never become a national leader when you approach politics that way,” he said.
Kioni warned that efforts to turn Mt Kenya into a political bloc controlled by one leader could leave the region isolated, particularly at a time when national politics increasingly requires alliances across different communities.
He used Kibaki's 2002 presidential victory to illustrate his argument, maintaining that the former President benefited from considerable support outside the Central Kenya region, including votes from Western Kenya.
“More people from Western Kenya voted for him than from Central Mt Kenya region,” he said, arguing that building a national political base was more important than consolidating support within one community.
The Jubilee official also predicted changes in the region's political alignment as the country approaches the 2027 General Election, saying alternative political parties were likely to attract politicians unwilling to operate under a single political outfit.
He said the coming months would see increased movement among aspirants seeking parties through which they could contest elective positions, particularly as preparations for party nominations gather pace.
“I believe that between now and the month of February, expect a lot of movement, very serious movements,” he said.
Kioni further argued that some politicians joining DCP were primarily interested in securing parliamentary and other elective seats rather than uniting the opposition to challenge President William Ruto's administration.
He questioned whether the growing movement towards Gachagua's party was driven by a shared political agenda or individual ambitions ahead of the next election.
“People are not migrating to DCP not to fight Ruto. They are migrating there to go and win seats,” he said.
His remarks come amid growing political differences in Mt Kenya, where Gachagua's efforts to strengthen DCP's influence have drawn criticism from leaders associated with other political parties.
On Wednesday, People's Party leader Ndindi Nyoro challenged Gachagua over his criticism of alternative political outfits in the region, questioning why his party appeared to be singled out despite the existence of several other parties.
Nyoro said Mt Kenya had about 30 political parties and questioned why Gachagua had focused his criticism on the People's Party.
“Gachagua, Mt Kenya tuko na 30 parties, kwani ni yangu umeona tu?” Nyoro said, pushing back against what he viewed as the DCP leader's criticism of competing political platforms.
Nyoro also supported former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i's position that the opposition should settle on its 2027 presidential candidate based on leadership ability rather than the voting strength of particular ethnic communities.
He cautioned against choosing a presidential candidate based on ethnic numbers, saying the opposition risked replacing the current administration without addressing the political shortcomings it had criticised.
“We cannot make the same mistake of electing another Ruto to replace Ruto,” he said during a meeting with party aspirants in Mathioya, Murang'a County.