Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu has reaffirmed his support for former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), saying his political partnership with the former deputy president has remained intact despite the changes that have taken place since their journey began.
Nyutu said he started working with Gachagua about two and a half years ago, at a time when relations between Gachagua and President William Ruto were becoming strained within the Kenya Kwanza administration.
"For me, I'm in DCP, and I support Rigathi Gachagua as my party leader because we have walked a journey with him. I started walking with him when things started, when his office as DP was getting shaky, and it was evident that it was being shaken by external forces, and some of them are also internal forces," Nyutu said.
He said his decision to continue working with Gachagua had not changed following his removal from the office of Deputy President.
"That's when I started working with him, and so it has been almost two and a half years now since I started working with him. And so with me, you know, I'm strongly behind him and the party DCP," he said.
The political differences between Ruto and Gachagua became more public in 2024, especially after the Gen Z-led protests that began in June. Gachagua raised concerns over what he described as efforts to weaken his authority, while his critics accused him of failing to back the government's position on the protests.
The disagreement later resulted in an impeachment motion against Gachagua, which was filed in October 2024.
The National Assembly approved the motion on October 8, 2024, with Parliament saying it contained 11 allegations. They included gross violations of the Constitution, undermining the President and the national government's executive mandate, allegations linked to devolution and alleged misconduct.
Gachagua denied all the allegations.
The Senate later upheld his impeachment after finding him guilty on five of the 11 charges while acquitting him on six. He consequently lost the position of Deputy President.
Gachagua later formed DCP and has placed the party within the opposition political space ahead of the 2027 General Election. In September 2026, he also outlined what he called a first 100-day programme for a United Opposition administration, with areas such as corruption, public institutions and the economy among the issues highlighted.
Nyutu said his political position was also in line with what he described as the wishes of residents in Murang’a, who he claimed had already chosen Gachagua as their leader.
"And our people already decided that they're done with the President of the hour and his government, and for good reasons, which of course we can list, there are so many, and they identified Rigathi Gachagua as their leader, and so with me I think that is where I am."
His remarks come as political activity and realignments continue across the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 elections.
In July, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang'ata left the United Democratic Alliance and joined DCP, saying he would seek to retain his gubernatorial position on the party's ticket.
Kang'ata's move came after a period when he had been associated with the Linda Mwananchi opposition movement. He said he would use the DCP ticket in the 2027 gubernatorial contest while continuing his association with Linda Mwananchi.
Nyutu also dismissed the idea that political disagreements between leaders automatically meant that communities in the wider Mt Kenya region had become divided.
"The mountain is one. The sentiments that you have had, and the ones that you are referring to, are sentiments by leaders, and the people know that the schemes that have been there to divide them are schemes that are driven by the realization that a united mountain is a strong mountain," he said.
He said the social and family connections that exist across the region could not simply be broken down along political lines.
Nyutu's comments place him among elected leaders who have openly declared their support for Gachagua and DCP as the former deputy president continues to build the party's network and work with opposition partners ahead of the 2027 General Election.
For the Murang’a senator, the current political partnership is linked to a relationship he says began when tensions between Ruto and Gachagua were growing and has continued even after Gachagua left government.