Money talks: Gakuya speaks out on fake crowds at Ruto’s Mt Kenya rallies
The political fallout from President William Ruto’s recent tour of the Mt Kenya region continues to escalate, with Embakasi North MP James Gakuya claiming that the massive crowds witnessed during the five-day visit were not organic but rather a result of monetary incentives.
In an interview with K24 TV on Monday, April 7, 2025, Gakuya, a vocal ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, asserted that attendees at Ruto’s rallies were paid approximately Ksh2,000 each.
“Whether the results was positive or negative I can tell you for sure you cannot determine [votes] by the numbers because I would tell you those were not organic numbers, those were mobilized numbers and that’s the truth of matters. Money was given out from Ksh2,000 and around there. In this country who does not need money?” Gakuya stated.
When pressed for evidence to support his claims, Gakuya cited social media as his source.
“Money was paid, it is in the whole of social media. People were assembled anywhere and bags of money dished out – they were on social media not myself. I am also a social media follower,” he said.
Despite these allegations, Gakuya maintained that the Mt. Kenya region deserves government attention, given its pivotal role in Ruto’s election.
“People of Mt. Kenya must be smart, they can’t start to be foolish. They cannot be a part and parcel of creating this government and then they come out to fight the same. They should all the time bring their hands out so that they can receive what is necessary for them. Mt. Kenya is in Kenya and there anytime the president is in Mt. Kenya he’s most welcomed and that’s a different thing from what we call the setup of the coming election,” he said.
President Ruto’s tour, which concluded on April 5, 2025, was officially billed as a development initiative but is widely seen as an attempt to consolidate his political influence in the region following Gachagua’s impeachment.
The tour was marked by several contentious incidents, including local politicians being heckled, indicating underlying political tensions.
The allegations of paid attendance raise questions about the true extent of Ruto’s support in the Mt. Kenya region.
While the president received warm receptions, the controversies and claims of monetary incentives suggest a more complex political landscape.
As the country approaches the 2027 elections, the impact of these controversies on Ruto’s political standing remains uncertain. The ability to maintain support in a region crucial to his political base will be a significant test for his presidency.
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Martin Oduor
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