Kabogo stakes claim in Mt Kenya power struggle
By Mathew Ndungu, July 16, 2025Cabinet Secretary for ICT William Kabogo is looking to stir the political waters in the Mt Kenya region, this time as a self-declared successor to the influence of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
A seasoned political firebrand, Kabogo, who was Kiambu’s inaugural governor, has never shied away from controversy or political posturing.
In his latest political salvos, Kabogo has positioned himself at the forefront of a growing rebellion in Mt Kenya against President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.
He has been particularly scathing towards Gachagua, accusing him of scripting his own downfall through “character assassination” and missteps rooted in personal family matters.
“That man wasn’t impeached because of poor governance or Kenya’s problems. He fell because he disinherited his own brother,” claimed Kabogo during a recent economic empowerment programme event at Gachii village in Kiambaa, Kiambu County.
Despite a series of electoral defeats, including a 2017 loss to Ferdinand Waititu and a 2022 fall to Governor Kimani Wamatangi, Kabogo insists he remains a critical player in the region’s politics and claims to have replaced Gachagua’s political patronage, appealing to a region he believes is ripe for a new voice.
“Although you sent me home, I still love you,” he told the crowd during the empowerment forum attended by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
“This is Central Kenya, and we are home to all tribes. We must resist the return of tribal politics,” he added.
His message of unity was a thinly-veiled criticism aimed at Gachagua, whom Kabogo accuses of advancing an outdated, ethnic-based political model, a tactic he says is out of touch with the aspirations of today’s voters.
Now holding a powerful national docket, Kabogo says his role in the ICT ministry positions him uniquely to economically empower Mt Kenya residents.
Kabogo also insists that had he been in Gachagua’s shoes, impeachment would never have been an option.
“They would have only sent my mother home — not me,” he quipped, triggering laughter from the audience.
The renewed vigour with which Kabogo is confronting his former allies and positioning himself as the region’s political compass signals a new phase in Mt Kenya’s unfolding succession politics.
As discontent brews and the hunt for a new kingpin intensifies, political pundits claim the former governor’s blend of charisma, experience, and audacity will continue to demand attention.
“No one can disregard Kabogo. He is a man who has beaten odds previously and returned to the political scene. He may not be at par with Gachagua in terms of political influence, but his following is still massive and he has say in some parts like Kiambu,” Ndung’u Gaithuma, a Thika-based political analyst, stated.