There was drama during a burial ceremony on Monday, 10 February, after Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere openly confronted allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
During the church service, Korere launched into an impassioned tirade, criticising Gachagua’s allies for allegedly using every platform, including funerals, to push their political agenda.
“I am a Catholic, and I do not want to see people bringing shame to the altar… Where I come from, when people go to a funeral, they leave these nonsensical sideshows,” Korere told the stunned crowd.
She also took a swipe at the former Deputy President, questioning his calls for the Central Kenya voting bloc to abandon the Kenya Kwanza government, despite having been an integral part of the administration less than six months ago.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addressing mourners in Laikipia county on Monday, January 10, 2025.
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Rigathi Gachagua
Korere added, “You made the Kenya Kwanza government, and one day the former DP called me tough-headed and stated that I, together with Uhuru and Raila, would fail.”
While reaffirming her support for Ruto’s government, Korere also criticised Gachagua’s allies for consistently using the local dialect in their political engagements in Central Kenya.
Her scathing remarks not only left mourners stunned but also provoked strong reactions from Gachagua’s staunch supporters, some of whom stood up and waved their hands in protest.
When he took the microphone, Gachagua apologised to the bishop for Korere’s remarks, accusing the MP of “abusing a whole community.”
“Bishop, on behalf of the political class, please accept our apology for the disrespect shown to you by that Member of Parliament who is an ally of President William Ruto,” Gachagua stated.
The latest incident brought a new perspective to the political landscape, particularly in Central Kenya, and it came barely 24 hours after Gachagua suggested that the entire Mount Kenya region had officially cut political ties with Ruto and would not back his re-election bid in 2027.
“From today, the people of Central Kenya have politically disengaged from President Ruto. We will not support him in 2027,” Gachagua said during a televised interview on Sunday, February 9.
Citing betrayal, the former deputy president also warned Ruto’s Central Kenya allies, as he promised to decampaign them ahead of the next general elections to ensure they are rejected by the electorate.
“Those who sell our people for their personal gain will never see leadership again in Mt. Kenya,” Gachagua added.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a church service in Murang’a on February 8, 2025.
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Rigathi Gachagua