Uhuru-Gachagua unity plan: Jubilee leaders in Azimio to cooperate with Kenya Kwanza

Plans are underway to broker a unity deal between retired president Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and rally the region behind Gachagua who has emerged as the kingpin.

Championing the initiative are Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga and director of elections at Jubilee Party and former Kieni MP, Kanini Kega.

The duo confirmed that a series of consultative meetings will be held with leaders from across the political divide, with the climax being the endorsement of Gachagua as the Mount Kenya political kingpin and rallying the region behind the DP.

Kega clarified that Jubilee has no plans of bolting out of Azimio coalition, noting that he will push for the region’s unity within the party.

“I want to make it clear that we are coming together with our own outfits at the moment. If in future we will be able to work on those other things, then it will be okay. At the moment, I am joining this unity as a member of the Jubilee Party. I am here as director of elections at Jubilee Party.

“The senior most politician that we have at the moment in Mt Kenya is none other than DP Rigathi Gachagua and we will all be anchored under that umbrella. But people have been misconstruing that we are leaving our political parties to join another political formation,” Kega stated after a meeting at the Nyeri governor’s office on Friday, November 25, 2022.

Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga and Jubilee party director of elections, Kanini Kega after a meeting at the governor’s office on November 25, 2022. Pulse Live Kenya

On his part, the nyeri county boss pledged to lobby other leaders from the region to unite.

“We have tasked Kega to reach out to leaders from his political formation to join us in propelling this country forward. Kega and I want to be that beacon of light that will unite leaders from this region. But that one should not fool us to think that going ahead, we will not be there. I must tell you that politics is not a love affair; it is driven by interests. Interests of our people come first,” governor Kahiga said.

Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga and Jubilee party director of elections, Kanini Kega after a meeting at the governor’s office on November 25, 2022. Pulse Live Kenya

2022 saw the region go to the ballot as a divided house with no clear kingpin with former president Uhuru Kenyatta supporting Azimio la Umoja while Gachagua led the Kenya Kwanza troupes in securing victory.