The Thika Greens gathering drew opposition heavyweights together in a show of cultural solidarity with unmistakable political undertones ahead of 2027.
By James Mwangi
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and former Jubilee Party secretary-general Raphael Tuju on Saturday joined thousands of revellers at the Ngemia Cia Watho cultural festival held at Thika Greens golf country club in Murang’a County, in a gathering that blended traditional celebration with pointed political symbolism nine months before the 2027 General Election.
The festival, rooted in Kikuyu cultural heritage, drew one of its most politically charged audiences in recent memory. The presence of Gachagua — whose Democracy for the Citizens Party commands significant support across Mount Kenya — alongside Sifuna, whose Linda Mwananchi Movement anchors the Western opposition alliance, reinforced the emerging coalition narrative that has rattled the Kenya Kwanza government in recent weeks.
Tuju’s attendance added another layer of intrigue. Once a close Ruto ally and a senior figure in the Jubilee administration, his appearance alongside opposition figures will fuel speculation about further realignments as the 2027 campaign intensifies.
Cultural festivals in Kenya have long served as political barometers. On Saturday in Murang’a, the music played — but everyone heard the message.
Some of the moments as captured in pictures
