Independent Mt Kenya voices surfing the sea amid wantam wave

Political rally in Kenya [File-Standard]

As the 2027 election clock ticks and a new political wave threatens to sweep Mount Kenya about four bold men are seeking to strike independent paths though firmly rooted in the opposition.

The four includes Kiharu Mp Ndindi Nyoro who has taken over as party leader of the Kenya People's Party (KPP), former Laikipia governor Ndiritu Muriithi who holds a similar position at the Kenya Reform Party. Others are former Meru governor Peter Munya who remains head of one-time ruling party the Party of National Unity (PNU) and former National Assembly Speaker and Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi who head Democratic Party of Kenya.

Also striking an independent ground is Kiambu governor Kimani Wamatangi even as a growing list of Mt Kenya governors and Mps continue to seek comfort in Rigathi Gachagua's Democratic Congress Party (DCP).

In this two-part series, we look at three of the outstanding voices and what they have been up to in the recent past.

Kiambu governor Kimani Wamatangi has opted to hold on a bit and watch the political horizon as he "keeps busy trying to fulfil his five-year pledges to the voters."

Wamatangi who has also ruled out seeking reelection on a UDA ticket believes that there is a real risk of squandering almost a whole year of county development on reelection politicking.

While he has opted out of UDA as has done his counterparts Kiarie Badilisha in Nyandarua and Irungu Kang'ata in Murang'a, the Kiambu governor remains tight-lipped about his next political vehicle directly saying he has chosen to watch where the political tides head to before reaching his decision earliest by December but as late as March 2026.

"No other leader in this country has been persecuted by this government more than me. From malicious cases, freezing bank accounts, a failed shooting incident to demolition of my business premises. But we remain unbowed," Wamatangi said recently at Mundoro in Gatundu South.

Wamatangi prefers to speak more of his development record in Kiambu but has also recently gained political mileage from the underdog label he has gained with the blame going to UDA regional bigwig and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah his close allies led by Thika Town Mp Alice Ng'ang'a.

The Kiambu governor who was among the last Jubilee legislators (he was Kiambu senator and Senate Majority Leader) to jump ship into the UDA and benefit from the "yellow fever" in 2022 has attributed his woes in the ruling party to clashes over bids to steal county lands especially a 100-acre parcel in Thika surrendered by multinational Del Monte Kenya Limited.

In his governor tenure, he has faced two separate investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) but no prosecution yet, freeze of personal bank accounts, the infamous demolition of his high-end car sale business at the Railways in Nairobi and constant humiliation by local UDA Mps.

Kang'ata and Gachagua are among the sympathetic politicians who have cited his tribulations as an indication of autocracy in UDA.

Yet, despite Wamatangi's hesitation to indicate his next political destination, his county remains one of the few where Gachagua has unveiled a gubernatorial aspirant in a scheduled event.

On April 16, the DCP unveiled land dealer John Mwaura Kogi who became the second such beneficiary in a ceremony attended by Gachagua after former CS Mithika Linturi was unveiled in Meru a month earlier.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) chairman and former Laikipia governor Ndiritu Muriithi is current being linked to Kenya Reform Party. Elected on an independent ticket for his single term as governor, Muriithi invested heavily in PNU but fell out with Munya ahead of 2022 and finally settled for Jubilee ticket in his unsuccessful re-election bid.

The paternal nephew of third president Mwai Kibaki is now linked to the Kenya Reform Party and has started laying the groundwork for grassroots engagements to recapture his old seat.

His team said the spontaneous public gatherings and online communities rallied citizens to discuss progressive issues devoid of toxic politics that have been developing in the region.

On the weekend of August 8, the former governor held a people's assembly at Nyahururu and rallies across eight townships in Laikipia West and Laikipia North to officially launch his bid.

Though allied to the opposition, he is striking an independent path again after he unsuccessfully run for governor under presidential candidate Musalia Mudavadi of United Democratic Front (UPF) in 2013, won his second bid as an independent in 2017 and unsuccessfully tried to defend the seat under Jubilee Party against the yellow fever in 2022.

Save for 2007 when he made his debut on a Party of National Unity (PNU) Muriithi has boldly run against Mt Kenya political euphoria and made his point.

"It would be a tragedy if we allowed ourselves to be herded into political corners by anyone who imagines they can command our loyalty like livestock. We love livestock but we are certainly not cattle to be treated as if we have no minds of our own," Muriithi has declared.

He added that Laikipia rejected the politics of any tin god who believed that loyalty can be compelled rather than earned.

“Our diversity is Laikipia’s signature strength. Never allow it to be turned into a weapon," said Muriithi. "Mine is to offer bridges, not barriers, between every community.”

Muriithi is banking on record as governor between 2017-2022 as he appeals for a final gubernatorial term.

He has privately been consulting for almost a dozen counties and is a special advisor to Homabay governor Gladys Wanga, besides international engagements in Sri Lanka and Malawi.

He is routing for an inclusive Laikipia where all communities feel part of the final democratic choices.

Despite being among the voices that proponents of a looming six-piece voting has vowed to block in the next election, Muriithi vows not to sacrifice his principles to the altar of political idol worship saying he is a firm believer in remaining true to personal convictions.

The PNU leader Peter Munya is currently locked into a three-man gubernatorial contest against former CS Mithika Linturi of DCP and incumbent Mutuma Ethingia currently allied to the UDA.

Munya remains one of the staunchest opposition leaders during the UDA era and was recently caught in a momentarily clash with the DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua.

That spat triggered by his remarks at the Citizen TVs JK Live has since cooled off and Munya remains politically actively engaged in Meru, in the PNU and in moves to unify the opposition under a single presidential candidate against President William Ruto.

One of Munya's strengths is ability to revive an ardent support network he has built over the years while serving as Assistant Minister in President Mwai Kibaki's government, as Meru's first governor between 2013-17 and as a powerful Cabinet Secretary in Uhuru Kenyatta's government first at Trade Ministry ending as Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives.

But he is facing the ever-present headache of balancing the Meru fault lines.

With Linturi and M'Ethingia from the second largest - three constituency - Igembe vote in the race, Munya is bereft of a crucial support base to add to his two constituency Tigania backyard.

It means that the largest - four constituency Imenti block - will largely be the king makers in the next election.

Any of the three contenders could get a major headstart if they cultivated the support of impeached former governor Kawira Mwangaza in case the courts do not clear her to contest in the next elections.

It will, of course, be a different ball game if Ms Mwangaza gets a greenlight to attempt a retake of her former seat.