When Rigathi Gachagua was impeached as Deputy President in October 2024, he retreated to his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri County, a village that was largely unfamiliar to many Kenyans outside the region.
Its name sounded ordinary, carrying none of the immediate political significance associated with places linked to Kenya’s former presidents and influential political families.
Two years later, however, Wamunyoro has acquired a new national profile, emerging as a gathering point for opposition leaders seeking to forge a united front against President William Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Like Ichaweri, associated with founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and his son, former President Uhuru Kenyatta; Sugoi, associated with Ruto; Kabarak, linked to former President Daniel arap Moi, and Othaya, the political home of former President Mwai Kibaki, Wamunyoro is increasingly being identified with Gachagua’s political journey.
Other prominent political homes include Irunduni, associated with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki; Tseikuru, associated with Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka; Opoda Farm in Bondo, linked to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and Mululu in Vihiga County, associated with Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
But unlike these established political landmarks, Wamunyoro’s rise to prominence has largely coincided with Gachagua’s fall from the second-highest office in government and his subsequent efforts to rebuild his political influence.
The former Deputy President has turned the residence into a venue for consultations with opposition leaders, politicians from the Mt Kenya region and delegations seeking to discuss the country's political future.
“I retreated to this small village, not because there was no any other place I could have gone and listened. I did this because the prevailing state of our nation is very dire,” Gachagua once said, explaining his decision to return home.
Before his impeachment, Gachagua had disclosed that he used to host Ruto at his residence, highlighting the dramatic change in their political relationship.
He has since presented Wamunyoro as a place where political engagement with him must take place on his terms.
“I am the spokesperson of the United Opposition and if William Ruto wants to take Kalonzo, he needs to come to Wamunyoro and talk to me. And when you come to Wamunyoro, because you have labelled me a tribalist, come with a translator,” he said.
After establishing the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), Gachagua increasingly used Wamunyoro to host meetings as he sought to consolidate his political base and build relationships with leaders opposed to Ruto's administration.
This month, the residence has featured prominently in a series of consultations involving opposition figures, with discussions focusing on unity and the possibility of fielding a single presidential candidate in 2027.
Following his return from the United States last week, Gachagua welcomed Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and leaders associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement.
“Upon my return from the United States, I welcomed the Linda Mwananchi leadership, led by Senator Edwin Sifuna, to the Wamunyoro residence,” he said.
“We held a candid and constructive discussion on the liberation of our country and the formation of the Sixth Administration.”
He added that the residence had hosted consequential political consultations intended to shape the country's future.
“Wamunyoro has long been a venue for consequential political consultations and deliberations that have helped shape a brighter future for our great country. Today was such a day,” he said.
The meeting brought together politicians whose interests and political constituencies differ, but whose engagement with Gachagua reflects continuing discussions about cooperation within the opposition.
The residence subsequently hosted Kalonzo on Monday, who met Gachagua alongside the Wiper leadership.
“Welcome to Wamunyoro, my cousin Kalonzo Musyoka. Unity of a purpose is vital,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua also received Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa, who presented him with a cow during his visit, adding a symbolic gesture to the political engagement.
“Welcome to Wamunyoro residence, Omwami Eugene Wamalwa. We continue to consult,” Gachagua said.
The residence has also hosted MPs and senators aligned with Gachagua from the Mt Kenya region, reinforcing its role as a meeting point for discussions about the region's political direction.
Political commentator Makokha Wangokho says Gachagua's growing use of Wamunyoro as a political meeting point is part of a strategy to turn his removal from office into a source of political influence.
“Gachagua’s strategy has been to making a political capital out of his impeachment,” Wangokho says.
The location also carries significance for his efforts to maintain ties with the Mt Kenya region, where his political standing has remained a central feature of debates about the community's relationship with the national government.
The name is linked to a man called Munyoro, with the prefix “Wa-” in Kikuyu conveying a relationship or belonging.
