Political temperatures in Mt. Kenya soared on Thursday after Nyandarua Senator John Methu issued a daring statement during a rally led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in Kangari, Murang’a County.
Addressing the charged crowd, Senator Methu challenged President William Ruto’s administration over alleged intimidation of leaders and residents opposed to government policies. In a fiery speech, he warned that Mt. Kenya would not bow to threats or coercion.
“Ruto, jaribu kutupiga teargas leo uone! (Ruto, just try throwing teargas at us today and see!),” Methu declared, sparking cheers and chants from the gathering. His words came in response to growing claims that security agencies have been used to disrupt opposition-aligned meetings across the country.
The rally, organized by Gachagua and his allies, was framed as a show of unity and defiance. Speakers accused the government of sidelining the former Deputy President and attempting to weaken his influence in the Mt. Kenya region.
Observers noted that the event drew a massive turnout, signaling Gachagua’s continued grip on sections of the vote-rich area despite his fallout with President Ruto.
The remarks by Senator Methu immediately went viral on social media, with some Kenyans praising his courage while others criticized him for stoking political tension.
As Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party prepares for its National Delegates Conference and 2027 politics slowly take shape, rallies like the one in Kangari highlight the growing rifts within Kenya Kwanza and the battle for Mt. Kenya’s political soul.
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