Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba has come out strongly in defence of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, criticising recent attacks directed at him by leaders allied to the Democratic Coalition Party (DCP) and sections of the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
In a statement on Sunday, Wamuchomba said it was disheartening to see political leaders from the Mt Kenya region targeting each other for political competition.
She cautioned against what she termed an emerging culture of entitlement around the region’s more than eight million voters, stressing that no individual or party could claim monopoly over them.
“Uhuru Kenyatta is the undisputed kingpin of the mountain and he did not force it on us. During his ten years in office, despite his flaws, he was never impeached and he never impeached his deputy. He worked to unify the country,” she said.
The MP said Kenyatta, like any other Kenyan, has the right to associate freely and endorse leaders of his choice.
She warned that personal attacks directed at him were an affront to the dignity of Kiambu residents and the wider Mt Kenya community.
“Attacking Uhuru is despising Kiambu and Kenya at large. Let it be clear, you attack Uhuru, you attack Kiambu County, and we are watching,” she stated.
Wamuchomba’s comments come days after DCP Secretary General Cleophas Malala and other Kenya Kwanza leaders accused the former president of meddling in current political affairs and allegedly backing leaders outside the ruling coalition.
The criticism followed Kenyatta’s remarks at the Jubilee Party National Delegates Convention (NDC) held on Friday at Ngong Racecourse, where he faulted the current administration for eroding gains made during his tenure.
During the NDC, Kenyatta argued that policies introduced by the government had replaced tested social programmes with “untested” initiatives, citing the termination of the Linda Mama maternal health scheme.
He said this had led to setbacks in service delivery and increased suffering for ordinary Kenyans.
“Today, many of the gains we had in the past have been eroded. Linda Mama and others have been replaced by new untried, untested schemes, and while we wait for these experiments to work, Kenyans suffer and our progress is retarded,” he said.
The former president also urged his party to undertake internal reforms, including constitutional amendments, to strengthen structures and ensure sustainability.
He said the reforms were necessary to prevent political manoeuvres that in the past had weakened the party’s stability.
Kenyatta further called for inclusivity and ethical leadership, urging Jubilee delegates to embrace young leaders and people of integrity in rebuilding trust with the public.
His remarks drew sharp criticism from some Kenya Kwanza leaders who interpreted them as an attempt to undermine President William Ruto’s administration.
Malala accused Kenyatta of holding onto influence in Mt Kenya politics despite exiting office. Other leaders have claimed Kenyatta’s involvement with opposition figures is a betrayal of the political alliance that brought Ruto to power in 2022.
But Wamuchomba dismissed these attacks as unnecessary and divisive.
She said Kenyatta had a record of leadership that could not be erased through political statements, and that he had not imposed himself on the region’s politics.
“He is now at liberty to bless anybody to take over from him, even if it is not me,” she said.
The MP also addressed claims linking Kenyatta to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, saying any political engagement between the two fell within their rights of association.
“If Uhuru is betraying you by courting Dr Matiang’i, when did you sit and agree with him that you are the next in the line?” she posed.
She further cautioned against what she described as efforts to demean leaders from Kiambu, saying the county should not be treated as subordinate to others within the region.
“Kiambu County is not a colony of Nyeri. With much respect to Nyeri people, this trajectory of demeaning leaders must not be allowed,” she said.
Wamuchomba concluded by urging leaders to respect Kenyatta’s legacy and focus instead on strengthening democracy and governance.
She described the former president as a respected statesman admired across the country, insisting that political competition should aim at building on his record rather than eroding it.
