Moses Kuria Fires Back at Rigathi Gachagua Over Claims of Vote Splitting in Mbeere North By-Election
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has sharply criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua after the latter alleged that the government used the Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) party to divide votes during the recently concluded Mbeere North by-election.
Gachagua, speaking on Wednesday, December 11, claimed that senior government figures approached Kuria and urged him to field Duncan Mbui in the mini-poll. According to the former DP, Mbui’s candidacy disrupted clan-based voting patterns that would otherwise have favoured Democratic Congress Party (DCP) candidate Newton Karish.
Gachagua said Karish and Mbui come from the same clan in Mbeere North and that local elders had persuaded him to withdraw Mbui from the DCP ticket to avoid splitting the clan vote.
“Newton Karish and Mbui, who was in DCP but went to Kuria, come from the same clan, and the elders told me that if we have two candidates, it’s not good,” Gachagua said. “So, they asked me to step down Mbui so that the clan can have one candidate, and it made a lot of sense.”
He added that after withdrawing the DCP candidate, the government allegedly intervened through Kuria’s CCK party.
“I withdrew the DCP candidate, but the government approached Kuria. Kuria is part of the Ruto administration; his party, Chama Cha Kazi, is one of the many wheelbarrows I talk about,” he said. “So, he called CCK to get Mbui, who got 2,500 votes. Those votes, because of clan dynamics, would have gone to Newton Karish. If the votes had gone to him, things would probably have been different.”
Kuria Responds: “Make Up Your Mind”
In a swift response, Kuria dismissed Gachagua’s assertions and challenged him to state clearly whether he believed the votes were stolen or merely divided. The former CS also announced that CCK would apply to join Karish’s election petition as an interested party to defend itself in court.
“My brother Rigathi Gachagua. Make up your mind. Is it me who took your votes, or were your votes stolen?” Kuria said.
“Chama Cha Kazi will enjoin in the Karish petition as an interested party, so you can answer me in court. But you will only introduce DCP dictatorship in the Mt Kenya region over my dead body.”
Kuria further accused Gachagua of attempting to centralise Mt Kenya politics under one political outfit, calling the strategy “dictatorial” and vowing not to allow what he described as a forced regional political uniformity.
Tight Race in Mbeere North
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) conducted the Mbeere North by-election on November 27. UDA candidate Leonard Muriuki Wa Muthende narrowly won the seat with 15,802 votes.
Karish followed closely with 15,308 votes, while CCK’s Mbui secured 2,480 votes — a figure now at the centre of the political disagreement.
The united opposition has signalled its intention to challenge Muthende’s victory, insisting they have gathered compelling evidence.
“We are preparing to go to court at any time for both Mbeere North and Malava because we have a very solid petition,” said Advocate Ndegwa Njiru.
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Moses Kuria Fires Back at Rigathi Gachagua Over Claims of Vote Splitting in Mbeere North By-Election