Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba/ SCREENGRABEducation Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has criticised former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua over what he described as the continued ethnicisation of Kenyan politics, saying the rhetoric is now affecting learners.
Ogamba said young Kenyans should not be taught to view one another through the lens of ethnic identity, arguing that political messages urging communities to keep others away were out of step with the realities of Kenyan society.
“We are being told every other day by leaders to hate each other, to hate our country, to hate the next person. We don't see anything good in a person who perhaps does not come from your community. That is not what you taught us,” Ogamba said.
He said many Kenyans had grown up, studied and worked across communities, making attempts to divide the country along ethnic lines increasingly difficult to reconcile with their lived experiences.
“The bishop indicated that he is spread out. He has people in Maringo, he has people in Ukambani, he speaks Kisii, he does all these things. Most of us are in that category,” Ogamba said.
The CS said political narratives such as the campaign against outsiders touching the Mt Kenya region risked confusing young people who had already grown up in a more integrated society.
“So when you tell us don't touch this or the other, you shock us because already we have touched,” he said.
Ogamba's remarks come amid heightened political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election, with Gachagua stepping up efforts to establish the DCP as a political force in the Mt Kenya region.
The former Deputy President has in recent months held a series of meetings and rallies in the region as he markets the party and consolidates support.
Earlier this month, Gachagua had intensified efforts to position DCP as a political home in Mt Kenya, receiving governors, MPs, MCAs and grassroots leaders crossing over from rival parties.
Gachagua has also advocated for greater political consolidation among parties in the region. In August, he proposed a coalition of Mt Kenya parties supporting a one-term agenda, saying the parties could retain their identities while working together.
His political activities have also drawn scrutiny over remarks described by authorities as potentially inflammatory.
Earlier this month, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission said Gachagua was among leaders summoned over alleged hate speech, with the commission saying his file had also previously been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The political debate has increasingly centred on the role of identity and regional mobilisation as parties position themselves for the 2027 contest.
Gachagua has maintained that opposition leaders need to consolidate support in their respective regions before negotiating coalition arrangements.
In a recent address to supporters, he said leaders should first “lock their backyards” before sitting down to discuss the broader opposition strategy.
Ogamba, however, argued that such political narratives should not define relationships among Kenyans or influence how young people understand one another.
