Mutahi Kahiga joins President Ruto for church service in Nyeri
By Mabonga Makhanu, January 11, 2026Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has joined President William Ruto for a church service in Chinga, Othaya Constituency.
Despite the governor previously being heavily critical of the president and appearing to align himself with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, he has in recent times remained relatively silent and has not been associating with Gachagua as actively as he did before immediately after the impeachment.
Kahiga was seen seated immediately to the left of President Ruto, while Deputy President Kithure Kindiki sat to the right of the president.
His attendance at the church service speaks volumes, with many viewing it as a clear indication of where his political allegiance now lies. The move suggests that the governor may have ditched the camp led by Rigathi Gachagua and is gradually embracing the government side.
This is not the first time Governor Kahiga has been seen in the company of President William Ruto. He previously joined the president during several stopovers in Nyeri County during the Mount Kenya tours conducted in 2025.
At the time, Kahiga defended his decision to align with the president, arguing that both the national government and county governments must work together for the benefit of citizens.
Recently, the governor came under sharp criticism after celebrating the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a move that angered many leaders, especially from the Nyanza region.
His remarks were widely interpreted as reflecting the official position of Gachagua’s camp, prompting the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Economic and Planning Adviser to issue a clarification, stating that Mutahi Kahiga is more aligned with the government than with the opposition.
“Please, I will say this from the word go. Kahiga does not represent us. Kahiga ni Mutu ya state by extension because ni Mutu ya state. Mtagoganishwa vichwa hii town So please, can you look for your enemy in the right place?” Mbae said
Moses Kuria welcomes Ruto
President William Ruto’s church visit to Nyeri has elicited numerous reactions from Kenyans, especially after his former economic adviser, Moses Kuria, who has recently been critical of the president, welcomed him ahead of the church service in Othaya.
In a statement shared on his social media pages on the eve of the president’s visit to Nyeri County, the home county and political backyard of Ruto’s former deputy and now top critic, Rigathi Gachagua, Kuria shared a poster featuring himself and the president, accompanied by a welcoming message to the county.
President Ruto is set to grace the grand opening and dedication of the ACL Kariki Plaza in Othaya Chinga Ward.
The poster has generated mixed reactions online, with government-allied politicians such as Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei applauding Kuria’s move and urging him to join the “TUTAM” movement.