Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi has launched a scathing political attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, questioning his criticism of President William Ruto over the planned opening of Talanta Stadium and his alleged trip to the United States to seek assistance with printing ballot papers for his party’s nominations.
Wamumbi’s remarks have injected fresh political drama into the debate surrounding the official opening of the highly anticipated sporting facility.
Gachagua has criticised President Ruto’s reported plan to bring European football giants Bayern Munich and Ajax to play at Talanta Stadium during its inauguration, arguing that the government should prioritise local football teams and allow them to benefit from the new sporting infrastructure.
However, the Mathira legislator has turned the criticism against Gachagua, questioning the former Deputy President’s priorities and accusing him of applying double standards in his political engagements.
Wamumbi’s counterattack has shifted the spotlight from the stadium celebrations to the broader political contest between the two leaders.
In a pointed challenge, Wamumbi questioned why Gachagua would allegedly travel to the United States to seek assistance with printing ballot papers for his party’s nominations when local printing capacity was reportedly available in Karatina.
He argued that young people in the region possessed printing machines and could potentially handle such work, raising questions about the need to look beyond Kenya for the service.
The remarks have added another explosive dimension to the increasingly confrontational political exchanges between allies and critics of the former Deputy President.
They also highlight the wider debate over local investment, youth empowerment and the use of domestic businesses to support political party activities.
As the controversy unfolds, Wamumbi’s intervention underscores how the Talanta Stadium opening has become more than a sporting affair, with competing political figures using the occasion to challenge one another’s judgement, priorities and public statements.