The rapid political rise of Nyandarua Senator John Methu under former Deputy
PresidentRigathi Gachagua has
triggered growing speculation over what the DCP boss has in store for the
lawmaker.
Is Gachagua simply mentoring a promising young politician for a bigger role in the country’s politics, or is he quietly building a political plan B in case his own 2027 presidential ambitions are blocked?
“There's every likelihood
that if Riggy G is barred from running by the courts and the mountain has to
get a slot in the broader coalition, most likely as running mate to Sifuna,
then all indicators are that he will give Methu as his nominee, as he trusts
him,” political observer Martin Andati said.
Gachagua’s presidential bid
faces uncertainty following his impeachment as the country’s second DP.
The DCP leader is currently fighting in the Court of Appeal to overturn his removal after the High Court upheld his controversial ouster.
Legal minds are divided on whether an impeached leader can still hold a public office with the case pending in court.
Dismus Mukua, a scholar and practitioner in political risk and presidential politics, said Methu's political capital is anchored by Gachagua's capacity to harness anti-President Ruto sentiment.
“Methu has emerged as one of President Ruto's fiercest critic. His criticisms that are more often than not laced by misinformation and disinformation confirm biases embedded in Gachagua's core base,” Mokua said.
The question about Gachagua’s plan for Methu has gained currency as the ex-DP increasingly trusts the legislator with sensitive political assignments.
The development has placed the youthful lawmaker at the centre of DCP’s grassroots mobilisation and giving him visibility far beyond Nyandarua.
Methu, Kenya’s youngest senator, has emerged as one of the most vocal and visible faces of the DCP and a darling of its supporters, particularly in the Mt Kenya region.
His elevation within the party has been swift.
In May, the former DP elevated Methu to secretary general-designate of DCP, replacing less visible Hezron Obaga.
The position has effectively placed the senator at the heart of the party’s political operations and communications.
Gachagua subsequently handed Methu the responsibility of leading the
party’s campaign in the highly contested Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
It was a major test.
Methu threw himself into the campaign, leading door-to-door mobilisation, rallies and meetings with local leaders and voters.
The aggressive ground campaign paid off.
DCP candidate Sammy Waweru,secured a landslide victory, garnering about 35,440 votes against UDA candidate’s 5,450.
The victory gave DCP its first elected MP and handed Gachagua significant political capital in his battle to establish the party as a serious force.
It also elevated Methu’s standing.
Observers say his campaign style — mixing sharp political messaging, humour, popular culture and relentless grassroots engagement — helped endear him to voters.
His attacks on Ruto have also made him a popular figure among Gachagua’s supporters.
During the burial of former Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho, Methu directly confronted Ruto, telling the President that while he respected him, he did not fear him.
“Ruto, I am still the same John Methu. I respect you as the President and commander-in-chief and parent, but that notwithstanding, just know that I respect you, but I do not fear you,” Methu said.
The remark captured the increasingly combative style that has defined the senator’s politics.
He has since accompanied Gachagua during political tours in Mt Kenya and other parts of the country, helping deliver the former DP’s message to his supporters.
But it is the DCP leader’s growing reliance on Methu that has fuelled
speculation about the senator’s ultimate political destination.
“Even me I have young men that I am mentoring. The likes of Methu, he can run this country,” Gachagua said from the US last week.
“And it is about time we accept that we cannot be telling our young people that they are leaders of tomorrow. That is misusing them. I want to tell our young leaders, they are the leaders of today,” he added.
When Gachagua left Kenya for the United States on August 26 for an extended tour, he said he had left the party’s campaigns and political activities in the hands of Methu and DCP deputy leader Cleophas Malala.
Yet it is Methu who has appeared to take the lead on the ground.
He has led political engagements in Nyandarua and Laikipia, held meetings with elected leaders and aspirants in Nairobi and participated in rallies and grassroots mobilisation activities.
On August 27, he convened a meeting with Nairobi MPs allied to DCP to discuss the party’s activities in the capital.
Days later, he led DCP engagements in Laikipia, including a church service and rallies in Kinamba and Sipili.
The senator’s increasing national visibility has raised questions about whether Gachagua is preparing him for a bigger assignment.
DCP activist Ciũri wa Gĩthinji sees Methu’s emergence as evidence of
deliberate political mentoring.
“Methu has kept the fire burning even after his boss Riggy G left for USA. This is mentoring at another level,” he said.
“Methu is who he thinks he is. He has taken the challenge of leadership thrown at him by Riggy G.”
He added that the senators’s growing visibility was now evident across the wider Mt Kenya region, from Nanyuki to Doldol in Laikipia.
Born on February 14, 1991, in Kinangop constituency, Nyandarua county, he attended Heni Primary School before joining Goshen High School in Nakuru county.
He later studied political science at Pwani University, graduating in 2017.
His entry into politics was not immediately successful.
In the 2017 general election, Methu contested the Nyandarua Senate seat
on a Maendeleo Chap Chap ticket but lost.
The defeat, however, gave him valuable grassroots experience.
Ahead of the 2022 election, he aligned himself with UDA and mounted a successful campaign for the Senate.
He won with 185,337 votes, unseating incumbent senator Mwangi Githiomi.
At 31, he became Kenya’s youngest elected senator.
In the Senate, Methu chaired the Lands, Environment and Natural Resources Committee and built a reputation as an outspoken legislator.
He was removed from the position following his close ties with Gachagua.
A November 2024 Politrack survey ranked him as Kenya’s most transformative senator, giving him an 85.2 per cent approval rating.
He also gained attention for his interventions on issues such as fertiliser distribution and for opposing a proposed salary increase for legislators.
Methu, who had been elected on a UDA ticket, became one of the former DP’s most vocal defenders during the impeachment battle.
When Gachagua was removed from office in October 2024, Methu remained firmly in his camp.
He subsequently joined DCP and quickly became one of Gachagua’s most trusted lieutenants.
“Senator Methu is a close friend and trusted loyal lieutenant of Gachagua and that's why he was allowed to take charge of the Ol Kalou by-election, after which he was appointed acting secretary general of the DCP party,” Andati said.
Mokua says Methu’s rise can be traced to three major interventions. The first, he said, was the senator’s defence of Gachagua during the impeachment.
The second was his management of the Ol Kalou by-election, which transformed DCP’s political standing. The third has been his emergence as one of Ruto’s fiercest critics.
“Methu is one of the young rising stars in the Kenyan political space on account of his close association with DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua,” Mokua said.
But Mokua cautioned that Methu’s political capital is closely tied to Gachagua’s ability to sustain anti-Ruto sentiment.
“Senator Methu’s political capital is anchored by Gachagua’s capacity to harness anti-President Ruto sentiment,” he said.
