Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has publicly criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for “exporting tribalism” to the Kenyan diaspora during his ongoing political tour of the United States.
Speaking during an economic empowerment event in Kajiado County on Saturday, July 19, 2025, Mudavadi faulted the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader for choosing to address diaspora communities in his local dialect, suggesting the move undermines national unity abroad.
“A person who has been a DP in this country, when you say you want to address people living in the diaspora in your local dialect, then you are exporting tribalism,” Mudavadi said.
He further criticised the move as unbefitting of a national leader, arguing that the Kenyan diaspora is traditionally united beyond tribal lines and relies on collective identity when living abroad.
“The bad manners you have here, you are exporting it to the diaspora. Kenyans in the diaspora have been united. When you are in a foreign land, the best neighbour is the Kenyan you know, and you don’t look at his tribe,” he added.
Wetang’ula Echoes Concerns
Mudavadi’s remarks follow similar sentiments shared by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, who addressed the issue a day earlier while speaking in Busia County.
Wetang’ula cautioned Kenyans living abroad against embracing ethnic divisions, especially those being amplified by political leaders seeking diaspora support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“Do not take tribalism to the diaspora; you cannot go abroad and just talk to one tribe,” Wetang’ula stated. “Kenya’s international image is at stake if political leaders encourage exclusivity based on ethnicity.”
Gachagua’s Diaspora Campaign Trail
The criticism comes as Rigathi Gachagua intensifies his two-month outreach to Kenyans abroad. The former DP, now the leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party, has been traversing various states in the U.S. as part of an international campaign to build diaspora support.
He landed at Logan International Airport in Boston on Thursday, July 17, where he was received by Kenyan community leaders, including diaspora chairman David Gikonyo. This visit followed a stop in Seattle, Washington, where he engaged with several Kenyan communities and officially launched a DCP satellite office.
While Gachagua has positioned his tour as a listening mission aimed at engaging Kenyans abroad, his decision to hold ethnically targeted meetings, such as a July 15 session with the Abagusii community, has triggered backlash from key national leaders who view the approach as divisive.
“I am glad that they understand the challenges our country is undergoing and their commitment to supporting positive change,” Gachagua stated after the Seattle meeting.
Growing Political Tensions Ahead of 2027
Gachagua’s overseas engagements are widely seen as part of a wider strategy to build an early support base ahead of the 2027 General Election, in which diaspora votes could play a more prominent role.
However, with both Mudavadi and Wetang’ula now issuing stern warnings over the ethnic undertones in the tour, the political temperature appears to be rising within Kenya Kwanza circles and beyond.
As the diaspora becomes an increasingly vital constituency, leaders are being urged to foster unity and inclusive messaging rather than polarisation based on tribal affiliations.
