Ngunjiri Wambugu reflects on Mt. Kenya rebellion against Uhuru

By Robert Mutasi

Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu has lifted the lid on Mt. Kenya's tumultuous political atmosphere during the Presidency of Uhuru Kenyatta. 

At an event on Sunday, Wambugu analyzed the crack in the Mt. Kenya region and Uhuru, which ultimately changed Kenya's political landscape.

According to Wambugu, the rebellion in Mt. Kenya started when a large section of the electorate in this region felt that Uhuru's leadership style and decisions had politically alienated them, with particular reference to his rapprochement with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga via the famous 2018 "Handshake".

"When Mt. Kenya rebelled against Uhuru, he went to Kisumu to show that Mt. Kenya was smaller than Kenya. And as would be expected, he was well received owing to the Raila handshake," Wambugu explained.

He explained that Uhuru's attempts at demonstrating national unity through his partnership with Raila Odinga pleased other regions but did not go down well with his Mt. Kenya base.

What began as the handshake, which had been welcomed even by Uhuru's detractors for its stabilizing effect after the divisive 2017 general elections, soon elicited feelings of bitterness among some of Uhuru's Mt. Kenya supporters.

To many, it was a sell-out deal for the region, with some even suggesting that Uhuru had betrayed his deputy, William Ruto, who was then seen as the political heir apparent in Jubilee.

Wambugu underlined that while Uhuru's visit to Kisumu demonstrated the ability of the latter to cross the country and build bridges, it did little to stop the growing rebellion mounted in Mt. Kenya.

"The Mt. Kenya region did not care. The rebellion escalated," he added, alluding to changing loyalties in that region as it would later come to be expected when the populace largely supported Ruto in the 2022 election.

The former MP’s remarks highlight the lingering consequences of the political rebellion. Mt. Kenya’s rejection of Uhuru’s chosen successor and the subsequent endorsement of Ruto marked a pivotal moment in Kenya's political history.

Ruto’s victory in the 2022 presidential race further solidified the realignment of Mt. Kenya’s political loyalties.

Wambugu's reflection now comes amidst analysts' reevaluation of the long-term implications the handshake era has had on Kenya's politics, specifically the divide that it caused in historically unified voting blocs such as Mt. Kenya.