'I was inside Mt.Kenya Forest fasting and meditating,' Gachagua explains his 7-day hiatus

Gachaugua told mourners that he had taken a break to meditate, pray, and fast for the country inside the vast Mt. Kenya forest, a pilgrimage he is known to make.

"I had taken seven days away for prayers and fasting, for reflection and meditation in the heart of Mt.Kenya forest," Gachagua told mourners at the funeral of his former teacher, Kano Ndumbi.

The second-in-command described how he had walked into the forest with specific instructions not to be disturbed during the prayer period.

"I had given clear instructions that I wanted to meditate and pray for our nation," Gachagua added. 

He said he was only interrupted after getting word that his close friend and former teacher Kano Ndumbi had died. 

He told mourners that he was only interrupted by his wife, Pastor Dorcas, who had learned of the death of his late teacher, with whom he shared a close relationship.

DP Gachagua spoke just days after returning from a week-long hiatus, amid allegations that all was not well in the ruling Kenya Kwanza party.

On Sunday Gachagua  ended the speculations after attending a church service at Endarasha Catholic Church in Kieni constituency, Nyeri county. 

His appearance comes after days of speculation, where he has been conspicuously missing from key state functions, with speculation rife that he has fallen out with President William Ruto. 

The speculation became even more intense when Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen and Opposition Leader Raila Odinga saw off Uganda President Yoweri Museveni during his three day state visit to Kenya.

President Ruto was in Rwanda when Museveni left the country. It was expected that at least DP Gachagua would see Museveni off.

The DP was also missing during the tree planting holiday as Ruto and other government officials spearheaded the exercise in various parts of the country. 

Gachagua who is known to be active in state events and especially being around Ruto has kept off, with even his social media accounts going quiet.

Also, the happenings around the Limuru III meeting fuelled further the speculation around the alleged fallout within Kenya Kwanza. 

Lately, Gachagua has been the proponent of the one man, one vote, one shilling campaign by a section of Mt. Kenya leaders. Those who attended Limuru III insisted on this, blasting Ruto for allegedly neglecting the Mt. Kenya region who overwhelmingly supported him during the 2022 election. 

The Limuru III meeting saw the formation of the Haki Coalition, whose leaders say will help chat the way forward for the people of the mountain.