The Deputy President of Kenya, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua, has been making inroads to Mount Kenya in recent times, seeking unity in the region. To many, this move comes as a surprise, considering that he rallied the electorate of this region to vote against Raila Odinga in 2022 and instead vote for His Excellency William Ruto, who deputized former president Uhuru Kenyatta at the time. His continued onslaught against former president Uhuru Kenyatta and anyone associated with the 4th president has suddenly come to an end, and DP Rigathi Gachagua is now asking the residents of Mount Kenya region to remain united and not to let anyone divide them. If the recent activities and speeches by the second in command are anything to go by, then something might be in the offing. Here is what DP Gachagua stands to gain following his recent Mt. Kenya unity calls. DP Gachagua speaking in a forum 1. He Wants to Moderate the Dalliance Between President Ruto and Musalia Mudavadi His Excellency Musalia Mudavadi hails from Western Kenya and is one of the key leaders in the Kenya Kwanza government. At the moment, he holds the Prime Cabinet Secretary position and also doubles as the cabinet secretary for foreign affairs. Due to his office, His Excellency Musalia Mudavadi has been having a cordial relationship with the president, even accompanying the president on most of his trips outside the country. This dalliance does not sit well with the second in command as some political analysts say that the Mount Kenya region might be short-changed in the process. This means that the western region might end up reaping more from this government in the form of projects and clearance of pending sugarcane bills amounting to Ksh.110 Billion. Since politics is all about numbers, DP Rigathi Gachagua now believes that unifying the Mount Kenya region can make the president recognize that his deputy has numbers and that they also need development projects in their region as well. A good example is the completion of the stalled Mau Mau road. 2. He Wants to Be Recognized as the de Facto Mount Kenya Leader Unlike his boss, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua was a one-term MP before becoming the deputy president of Kenya. Some believe that, like the current president, he needed more time in politics to clinch that seat. From the way he used to articulate himself to his dress code, among many other aspects that made people fail to believe that His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua could be Mount Kenya’s de facto leader and, most probably, the region’s next kingpin. DP Gachagua addressing the crowd However, he has dropped his aggressive and abrasive style of politics and is now a new man politically. If this is anything to go by, the electorate from this region can rally behind him as we head towards the 2027 polls. Conclusion It seems that His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua has reached a Damascus moment and has even apologized to the first family of the former president, His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, for badmouthing them before and after the 2022 general elections. If the former president throws his political weight behind DP Rigathi Gachagua, the latter might end up as a Mount Kenya kingpin and perhaps a future head of state. Watch this space!