The Wamunyoro story: From humble village to a political powerhouse

Once just another quiet settlement, Wamunyoro has morphed into a modern-day pilgrimage site for political hopefuls and kingmakers. This transformation is tightly tied to the dramatic political resurrection of one of its own, the former Deputy President, once impeached, now a defiant figurehead and undisputed Mount Kenya kingpin.

When Rigathi Gachagua was impeached, he never imagined that Wamunyoro would become his political rebirth ground. According to him, those who hounded him out of office threatened that they would take him back to the village.

“What they did not know when they sent me to the village, is that this place is the birth of Kenyan politics; today everyone talks about Wamunyoro. Little did they know that the Wamunyoro they were sending me to, would become their biggest headache. I was happy to come back home, how can you be punished by going back home?” he posed.

According to the former Deputy President, that moment of loss taught him the importance of family.

“In greatness, there are many friends, but in difficult times, family is very important. My family has been instrumental in supporting me. The villagers here were very welcoming, that is why even during my time as the Deputy President I was always here,” he said.

What started as a small gathering at his homestead, under the famous tree, has shifted to a command center for a new political order. Today, the red soil paths of the village see convoys of SUVs more often than ever as Wamunyoro hosts impromptu meetings that determine national positions.

“If I remember well, this tree was planted in 1983 when I had just finished Form Six and another one which I painfully uprooted to build my house and it has served us well, very important decisions and discussions have been made here, under this tree,” he said.

When history writes his name, he hopes Kenyans will call him depending on the way they perceive him.

“The young people call me Riggy G and you know they are my people. Some call me Wamunyoro, although people thought it was a bad name but people embraced it, while some call me the truthful man. I am the same person but known by different names and that speaks volume about my divergent outreach to many people,” he said.