Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has offered stern yet friendly advice to celebrated Mugithi artist Samidoh Muchoki, urging him to focus on music and stay out of political entanglements.
Speaking during a public meeting with the Kenyan diaspora in the United States, Gachagua cautioned Samidoh and fellow Mt Kenya artists against being used by politicians to sanitize government narratives.
He warned that their musical influence could be manipulated for political gain, pointing to a previous incident in May where Deputy President Kithure Kindiki had summoned several regional artists to Karen to endorse the government’s SHA initiative.
Addressing the audience, Gachagua emphasized that artists should concentrate on entertaining Kenyans, not pushing political agendas.
He recalled telling the artists that their primary role is to bring joy to the people through music, not to serve as mouthpieces for government propaganda.
Among those summoned to Karen were Samidoh, Karangu Muraya, Ben Githae, DJ Fatxo, and Jose Gatutura.
Gachagua’s comments suggest a growing rift within the Mt Kenya political and cultural circles, particularly between artists and leaders associated with opposing camps within the Kenya Kwanza alliance.
Samidoh, who was present at the meeting in the US, appeared to take the remarks in stride, acknowledging Gachagua’s advice respectfully from the crowd.
Despite their recent fallout over the artist’s perceived association with the ruling faction, the two have enjoyed a longstanding camaraderie, strengthened by Gachagua’s fondness for traditional Kikuyu music.
Compounding the situation is Samidoh’s ongoing disciplinary trouble with the National Police Service.
In June, the force accused the singer, who is also a police officer, of deserting his post after being transferred to the Anti-Stock Theft Unit in Gilgil.
He reportedly failed to report for duty since May 27, and the police responded by suspending his salary and ordering his arrest. Meanwhile, Samidoh is in the US conducting a music tour.
Gachagua, now the leader of the Democracy for the Citizens Party, is also in the US, using his visit to rally support for his Wantam agenda, a movement aimed at challenging the leadership of President William Ruto and pushing back against what he describes as failed policies under the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The incident underscores the tension between art, politics, and public service in Kenya, as influential figures like Samidoh are caught between career demands and political expectations.
By Newshub