MERU, Kenya- Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has launched a fresh attack on his predecessor Rigathi Gachagua, challenging opposition leaders to face voters and defend their record in government ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking while meeting community health workers in Meru County, Kindiki said the coming election would separate leaders with a record of delivering development from those relying on political rhetoric and personal attacks.
“It is time for us to know who is the real man and those who are fake. We meet face to face, eyeball to eyeball, for us to know who is a leader and who is useless,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President challenged former senior government officials, including former deputy presidents, to account for the projects they delivered in the Mount Kenya East region during their time in office.
“They all had big positions. Some were Deputy Presidents. They should tell us what project they brought in Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Isiolo and Kirinyaga. And if you don’t have a record, get lost,” he said.
Kindiki said voters should judge politicians based on their development record rather than political slogans, personal attacks or attempts to attract attention through nicknames.
“You won’t be elected for bringing childish things. Giving people nicknames is for young children. But once you are mature, you leave childish stuff,” he said.
Although Kindiki did not name Gachagua in the remarks, his comments come amid an increasingly bitter public exchange between the two politicians.
Gachagua, who served as Deputy President from 2022 until his impeachment in October 2024, is now the leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) and has emerged as one of the prominent opposition figures positioning himself ahead of the 2027 election.
The rivalry between the two former deputies has intensified in recent weeks, with the pair trading personal and political attacks.
Gachagua recently mocked Kindiki over his voice, referring to him as “Soprano” and questioning his record as Deputy President. Kindiki responded by accusing his predecessor of emptiness and incompetence and challenging him to engage in substantive discussions on politics, policy and leadership.
Kindiki has also previously warned Gachagua against provoking him into revealing details of private meetings they held before the former Deputy President’s removal from office.
“I came to visit you many nights when I was the Interior Cabinet Secretary,” Kindiki said in Embu, claiming he had attempted to advise Gachagua on his relationship with President William Ruto.
Gachagua, meanwhile, has accused President Ruto and Kindiki of attempting to divide the wider Mount Kenya region ahead of the 2027 elections. He has insisted that the region’s political identity cuts across Kikuyu, Embu and Meru communities.
The latest exchange comes as both the government and opposition intensify mobilisation in Mount Kenya, a region expected to play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the 2027 presidential contest.
