An open letter to Gachagua after the Mbeere North by-election loss
By David Nthua, November 28, 2025Dear Rigathi Gachagua, Democracy for Citizens’ Party Leader
Allow this to be a warm, gentle note, not of politics, but of perspective, humour and heart following the just-concluded Mbeere North by-election.
The numbers are now public. Leonard Wamuthende walked away with 15,802 votes, while Newton Karish secured 15,308. The difference? Just 494 votes.
That is not a collapse. That is a whisper. That is the kind of margin that makes even calculators blink twice.
If anything, this result feels less like a loss and more like one of those photo-finish moments in a friendly village race where everyone laughs, claps and says, “Ah, ilikuwa karibu sana.” And truly, it was very close.
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What stood out even more was your calm and honourable move in allowing Newton Karish to run under the Democratic Party of Kenya, led by Justin Muturi, simply because CS Geoffrey Ruku was the DP MP.
That was not politics. That was maturity. That was allowing the game to flow naturally, instead of forcing the ball into your own corner.
Not many leaders do that. It spoke volumes without raising your voice.
One cannot ignore the quiet comedy in the whole situation.
The same man who was once told he would be forgotten two weeks after October 2024 somehow managed to make Mbeere North feel like a national festival.
Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, governors and political friends pitched camp, toured, spoke, waved and encouraged.
All that energy, and still only 494 votes separated the two sides. That, Sir, is not defeat. That is a standing ovation in disguise.
And about rigging, maybe let that one rest gently like a tired drum. If anything strange happened, then it simply means your side gave people sleepless nights.
You do not guard a door unless what is inside matters. If Karish scared the system that much, then surely we are talking about strength, not failure.
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Perhaps the sweetest truth here is this: Newton Karish did not lose because he was bad. He simply arrived second in a very close race.
And races, as we all know, always have a first and a second. Even the fastest man in the village once tripped on a stone.
So take this moment with ease. Smile a little. Rest a little. Laugh at the comedy of it all.
Because the story here is not about sadness. It is resilience, honour and the gentle reminder that 494 votes is not a mountain. It is just a small step.
And sometimes, the biggest win is how gracefully you take the near-miss.
Yours sincerely
David Nthua, K24 Digital Writer.