Gachagua reveals why other leaders did not attend Ngemi Festival in US
The Democracy for Citizens’ Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua has said the reason leaders from other communities did not attend the Ngemi Festival in the US was that it was mainly a Kikuyu affair.
Speaking to a local TV station on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Gachagua downplayed claims that his American tour was meant only for the Kikuyu community.
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Gachagua explained that during his tour of the US, he made deliberate efforts to engage all Kenyans regardless of their ethnic background.
He said his itinerary included town hall meetings that drew Kenyans from different communities, where issues affecting the country were discussed openly.
“When I went to the US, I had town hall meetings for all Kenyans, and they were packed, and we discussed issues to do with Kenya,” he said.
The former deputy president insisted that his presence at the Ngemi Festival in Seattle had been misinterpreted.
He clarified that the festival was a cultural celebration for the Kikuyu nation, and that is why other leaders from different communities were not present.
Kikuyu cultural festival
Gachagua emphasised that he did not deliberately exclude other communities but respected the nature of the event.
“When I went to Seattle, I was invited to the Ngemi Festival, which is a musical concert for the Kikuyu nation,” he said.
“I would not have invited other people to come and join in the Ngemi Festival because those were Kikuyu songs and people celebrating their culture. There is no one time I refused to engage all Kenyans.”
He further stressed that attending the festival was part of recognising and appreciating the cultural identity of the Kikuyu people in the diaspora.
At the same time, he dismissed accusations that he was advancing tribal politics, noting that the Kenyan diaspora deserved leaders who respected their roots while also championing unity.
Gachagua’s remarks come at a time when his critics have accused him of leaning heavily towards his community’s interests, even as he positions himself as a national figure.
