The Githunguri MP, who once accused the DCP leader of intimidating Mt Kenya politicians, is now asking for a face-to-face meeting and offering to apologise, days after walking away from Ruto’s UDA party.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has made a fresh political move by reaching out to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, signalling a possible change of heart after months of public disagreements with the opposition leader.
The legislator, who previously challenged Gachagua over his leadership style and attempts to influence Mt Kenya politicians, now says she is ready to apologise if she wronged him and wants an opportunity to settle their differences privately.
Her latest appeal comes after she announced her departure from President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), marking a significant shift in her political positioning ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during her weekly broadcast over the weekend, Wamuchomba disclosed that she had made several attempts to contact Gachagua and request a meeting but had received no response.
The MP, who stood by Gachagua during his impeachment in October 2024, questioned why their political differences had developed into personal hostility.
“You have never telephoned me and invited me for a talk and I refused to come. I have even written you a message, requesting for talks, but you went mute. If I wronged you for standing with you during your impeachment, I can come and tell you ‘Sorry’, for even shedding tears for your sake,” she said.
Wamuchomba insisted that she was willing to take responsibility for any offence she might have caused, maintaining that political disagreements should be resolved through conversations rather than public attacks.
She also challenged Gachagua to reconsider his approach to managing disagreements among Mt Kenya leaders, arguing that his influence should be used to unite politicians rather than turn them against one another.
“When you fight me; and call me a traitor, ‘fagia’ and other insults…how have you helped me, and you are the leader of the Mountain?” she posed.
The legislator further challenged him to convene regional leaders and address their differences collectively.
“If you are truly the leader of the Mountain, call and assemble all people from the Mountain and tell them, ‘Gathoni you erred for doing this…apologise’. ‘Ndindi [Nyoro] you erred for doing this …apologise’. However, you can’t be the leader of the Mountain by fighting and finishing us,” she said.
From Gachagua’s defender to political critic
Wamuchomba’s latest appeal marks a remarkable turn in her relationship with Gachagua.
During his impeachment in October 2024, she was among the Mt Kenya lawmakers who opposed his removal from office, placing her firmly among his political defenders.
However, their relationship later deteriorated after she was accused of being a State mole allegedly monitoring the former Deputy President’s political activities and those of opposition figures.
The MP subsequently became one of Gachagua’s vocal critics, accusing him of pressuring politicians who were unwilling to join his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
In a statement issued on January 5, she accused Gachagua’s allies, including Nyandarua Senator John Methu and Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa, of allegedly intimidating politicians aligned with the government to abandon UDA.
She also questioned why DCP leaders were seemingly determined to recruit politicians instead of allowing them to make independent political choices.
At the time, Wamuchomba maintained that she would remain in UDA until the 2027 General Election.
Why Wamuchomba walked away from UDA
That position changed in October 2026 when the Githunguri MP announced that she would not defend her parliamentary seat on a UDA ticket.
She cited concerns about the government’s treatment of communities and what she considered a lack of respect for certain political leaders and their supporters.
During a press briefing at Parliament Buildings, she explained that consultations with voters, community leaders and religious figures had influenced her decision.
“After soul-searching and serious consultation with my voters and community leaders and the church, I feel like my conscience does not allow me to dine, associate and cluster with people who have no regard for others,” she declared.
Wamuchomba also criticised the government’s handling of remarks attributed to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, questioning what she viewed as unequal treatment of politicians accused of making inflammatory statements.
She nevertheless stopped short of declaring her allegiance to another political party, saying she wanted to consult her constituents before settling on her next political vehicle.
Wamuchomba’s explanation of political manoeuvres
Following her UDA announcement, the MP offered further insight into the political calculations behind her decisions.
Speaking during an interview with Radio Africa’s Gukena FM, she described politics as a game, arguing that politicians sometimes had to make strategic decisions to protect the interests of their constituents.
“I usually tell wananchi to let politicians play their game of politics. For me, politics is a game. Wananchi usually don’t understand the games we play,” she said.
She added that political positioning could sometimes influence whether constituencies received government budgetary allocations.
Her explanation added another dimension to her political departure from UDA, particularly as politicians begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
Is a new political alliance taking shape?
Wamuchomba’s request for reconciliation now puts her relationship with Gachagua back in the spotlight.
Having previously questioned his leadership, criticised his political recruitment strategy and challenged his influence in Mt Kenya, the MP is now publicly seeking an opportunity to settle their differences.
However, her appeal does not necessarily mean she has agreed to join DCP or that the two politicians have reached a political understanding.
Whether Gachagua will accept her request for a meeting remains to be seen.
For now, Wamuchomba appears keen to end a public feud with a politician she once defended, raising fresh questions about how political friendships and alliances in Mt Kenya could evolve before the 2027 General Election.
