Former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando has criticised recent public attacks on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua by his former allies, arguing that the disputes appear personal and risk weakening efforts to challenge President William Ruto.

In a detailed post on X on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Kabando said grievances raised by figures such as former Nyeri Town MP Wambugu Ngunjiri and Githunguri MP Gathoni wa Muchomba were coming out as private and emotional rather than driven by public interest.

“With respect to Wambùgù Ngùnjiri, Gathoni wa Mùchomba et al, their grievances against RiggyG are coming out as private and too personal, bereft of publicly spirit. They may be raising some valid issues, but their occupying acres of space to ‘expose’ Rigathi looks foggy and Ruto-driven,” he posted.

While acknowledging that the claims against Gachagua may contain valid concerns, Kabando suggested the sustained public exposés looked unclear and possibly influenced.

Kabando stressed that he was not defending Gachagua against the claims. Instead, he said the former Deputy President should reflect, correct mistakes where necessary and become more careful about who he allows into his inner circle. He warned that trust, once broken, cannot easily be restored.

He described Kenyan politics as largely transactional and argued that very few politicians can resist financial pressure. According to Kabando, President Ruto, whom he said is politically cornered, will use every available means to stop Gachagua while also weakening the opposition, including ODM.

“Or maybe not. I am not here to defend Rigathi Gachagua on allegations levelled by those ‘defectors’. In fact, he’d soul-search to mend if, and where, necessary. Crucially, he’d now be wiser to know better those he admits into his inner circles. The reality is that very few guys can, or will, resist Ruto moneybags.”

Gachagua remains key ally

Despite the controversy, Kabando insisted that Gachagua remains an important and effective figure in resisting what he called Ruto’s excesses. He warned that the political moment was too advanced to allow internal divisions to derail the wider struggle against corruption and poor governance.

Kabando directly addressed Ngunjiri and Muchomba, urging them to step back and stop escalating their attacks on Gachagua. He recalled past personal interactions with both leaders to illustrate what he described as political inconsistency and abrupt shifts in loyalty.

To place the current fallout in context, Kabando reflected on earlier political betrayals in Kenya’s history. He cited the 2002 split between former President Mwai Kibaki and his close ally Njenga Karume, which shocked the political establishment at the time. Karume abandoned Kibaki at a critical moment, despite having co-founded the Democratic Party with him and John Keen.

Kabando recalled how activists issued a sharp press statement against Karume, which Kibaki approved for release. The move angered Karume, who reportedly threatened to expose Kibaki’s secrets. Despite the fallout, Karume later became Defence Minister in 2005 after Kibaki won the presidency.

He also revisited the 1995 defection of Democratic Party Secretary General John Keen to former President Daniel Moi’s camp. Kabando described the Kibaki–Keen split as a deep betrayal that was never repaired. He noted that Keen once praised Kibaki as a decent, forward-thinking leader, while also calling him “a thankless man”.