Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi has hit out at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over his remarks that the area seat is vacant.

Gachagua made the remarks while appearing on a local TV station on Monday, February 24, 2025.

During the interview, he revealed sharing with his son to contest the area MP position which he previously held before becoming Kenya’s second deputy president.

Moreover, Gachagua disclosed canvassing with his other son to run in the Lang’ata seat in the same capacity. Lang’ata is the ex-DP’s residential home in Nairobi.

His comments on Mathira appeared to have struck a vein with the incumbent probing his predecessor to expound on what he meant by saying the seat is vacant.

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Wamumbi further displayed his readiness to face off with the DP’s son in the coming election which is two and half years in the offing.

“H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH confirmed last evening that his son will be vying for the Mathira seat. I welcome him for a competition, it’s an open field. Previous mushene had indicated that his wife was to vie for Governor Nyeri (Dynasty),” Wamumbi stated.

“Unasema kiti ya mathira iko vacant kwani wewe ni mungu? Ama unanipangia aje?” Wamumbi quizzed.

The entrance of Gachagua’s son in Mathira parliamentary race is likely to further stir the adversarial relationship between the MP and his predecessor.

Gachagua- Wamumbi ties

Despite hailing from the same region and constituency of Mathira, Wamumbi has had a rather frosty relationship with Gachagua.

The two shared a close bond after and before the 2022 elections. Gachagua’s influence saw Wamumbi’s political journey take the next step as he earned the UDA party parliamentary ticket.

The potential fallout between the pair came moments before Gachagua’s impeachment in 2024.

The MP came out publicly to state he urged the then second-in-command to stay in the government. His pleas were however not heeded and was among the lawmakers who endorsed the ouster of the former DP at the height of the impeachment motion.

Wamumbi has since remained to be an ally of President William Ruto in a stark contrast with Gachagua’s stance.