Gachagua: Ruto allies are contacting me, Mathira MP sent me a message before Ol Kalou poll
By David Nthua, July 20, 2026Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has shared details of messages he said he exchanged with Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi.
Gachagua claims the messages were exchanged before and after the United Democratic Alliance lost the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
In remarks on Monday, July 20, 2026, Gachagua said several allies of President William Ruto had been contacting him.
“I don’t know what will happen because hii watu ya Kasongo wananisumbua na masimu,” Gachagua said.
Message before the Ol Kalou vote
Gachagua said Wamumbi contacted him before voting on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
“Before we voted on Thursday, huyu mjumbe wangu wa hapa Mathira alinitumia mimi message,” he said.
Gachagua then quoted the message he said he received from Wamumbi.
“Akaniambia, ‘Ooh, mimi nilikuwa mtu wako, ukanigeuka nikaenda kwa Ruto. Hata hapa Ol Kalou unadanganywa na kina Methu. Wamebadilisha hii uchaguzi. Instead of fighting candidate against candidate, amegeuza imekuwa Ruto.’”
“‘And therefore, Methu and co have lost it. So when you lose on Thursday, ukuje utafute William Ruto.
“Mimi nilijua hii strategy ya kupigana na Ruto was it. Muchina is our son. There is no way Muhia and Methu could fight Muchina,’” Gachagua added.
However, Democracy for the Citizens Party candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho won with 35,440 votes.
United Democratic Alliance candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah received 5,450 votes. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission results placed the margin at 29,990 votes.
Gachagua reveals his response
Gachagua said Wamumbi contacted him again after the results were announced.
“Jana ameniandikia message, ‘You won lakini you intimidated our people. Sasa wewe usikue mkali sana kwa Ruto. Kuwa kama Raila, mnaeza patana huko mbele,’” he said.
Gachagua then disclosed his response to the Mathira MP.
“Na mimi nikamwandikia nikimwambia, ‘Welcome. I don’t know whether you live in this mountain because if you did, that fellow you are calling WSR is the problem, but you don’t seem to understand.’”
“‘My advice is simple. For the remaining time, get as much as you can from William Ruto and do not spend it on politics. Hata ile mshahara yako usitumie. Itakusaidia mbele kuanza biashara,’” he added.
Gachagua also issued a warning over the 2027 Mathira parliamentary contest.
“Na nikamwambia, ‘As long as you and your wife Betty Maina don’t use the rogue police squad to kill me before then, I will make sure you don’t get more than 500 votes in this Mathira.’”
“Nikamwambia, ‘And because of bibi yako, juu ya gender, nimemkubalia 3,000 votes,’” Gachagua said.
Gachagua did not present evidence supporting his accusation involving Wamumbi, Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina or police officers.
Wamumbi and Maina had not publicly confirmed Gachagua’s account of the exchange by the time of publication.