Kiiru Gachomba, Nyandarua's longest-serving ward representative

When other members of the Nyandarua County Assembly defected en masse to the United Democratic Alliance from Jubilee to defend their seats, Njabini MCA James Kiiru Gachomba stood his ground.

He remained in Jubilee and eventually won the elections to represent the ward for the fourth time, making him the longest-serving ward representative in Nyandarua.

But it is not the first time Mr Gachomba, a father of three, has survived political turmoil in an election, and the latest assembly win has entrenched him as a confident, smart politician.

He remained the Budget Committee chairperson in the House even when leadership wrangles led to the ouster of all other influential committee chairpersons.

Before devolution, Mr Gachomba served two terms as councillor representing the same ward, and was chairman of the then powerful audit committee.

He is a holder of a degree in community development from Laikipia University and a diploma in county governance from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Though not outspoken, Mr Gachomba has on many occasions left his opponents guessing on the decisions he was likely to make. He took time to weigh the best options and study the political environment.

In the Nyandarua assembly wrangles, he was always the last to make his position known on any critical matter and was always on the winning side.

In 2018, Mr Gachomba survived House leadership wrangles where all leaders on influential committees were ousted following a flopped attempt to impeach some executive members in Governor Francis Kimemia’s administration.

The targeted executives were accused of corruption, allegations that were later confirmed to have been a witch-hunt started by House leaders to blackmail them.

“Mr Kiiru Gachomba’s position on the matter was very critical as the chairperson of the Budget Committee,” said local politician Duncan Githinji.

Because of Mr Gachomba’s experience in the defunct Nyandarua council and as a two-term Budget Committee chairperson in the county assembly, “he is very informed on matters of public finance management”.

“I know him as a very honest person, a not easy to compromise leader, factors that endear him to other MCAs,” Mr Githinji said.

“If he had not stood his ground during the motion of impeachment and guided the House based on facts, then the targeted executive members would have been crucified on falsehoods.”

But in all the fracas and drama leading to the impeachment motion, Mr Gachomba remained silent, refusing to comment on the matter. The impeachment plotters thought he was on their side.

When the motion was brought to the floor of the House, Mr Gachomba’s contribution left everyone guessing his position, until the voting hour, when he declared his position and said he would vote against it.

“People need to understand that politics is not enmity, it’s about being honest, listening keenly to all sides, making the hard decision to stand by the truth, the truth and justice will always win,” Mr Gachomba said.

“I have never allowed myself to be intimidated or influenced to make wrong, unjust decisions. I take my time to understand issues at hand, ask for God’s guidance, then understand the constitutionality of the matter.

“I also listen to my voters in Njabini and Nyandarua residents, since as the Budget Committee member I protect and champion the desires of the entire Nyandarua community.”

During debates, one could easily mistake Mr Gachomba as being anti-government. He critiques the executive firmly, especially on implementing budgets and paying pending bills.

In his characteristic way, during a protracted battle between MCAs and Speaker Ndegwa Wahome last year, Mr Gachamba left everyone guessing which side he supported, until the last minute, when the impeachment motion was brought to the floor of the House and he voted for it.

In Njabini ward, he is a household name and he visits frequently.

“Mr Gachomba is one person committed to his duty, oversight of the executive both in the House and on the ground,” said Ms Judy Karanja, a voter in Njabini.

“He does not directly fight with the executive but uses his voice to criticise from the floor of the House. On the ground, he takes charge of monitoring the implementation of projects funded by the executive.

“Not many contractors like getting county jobs such as roads in Njabini. Our MCA is always there to ensure that the projects are completed on time and that a quality job is done.

“He is firm and will not allow the contractor to be paid until residents confirm they are happy with the job done. He always has the Bill of Quantities (BQ) with him when inspecting the contracted jobs.”

Reuben Wambui, a trader at Njabini market, said consultations with residents, honesty and the ability to lobby for projects have endeared Mr Gachomba to voters.

“If you compare his lifestyle with that of other elected leaders, Mr Gachomba doesn't live a posh life to match elected leaders serving their first term,” he said.

“The model of the car he drives tells you that he is not a person in politics to enrich himself. One can hardly tell he is the area MCA when he moves around and interacts with residents.

“He is down-to-earth and tells the truth. If he says something is impossible, he means it and when he commits to achieve or get something done in his ward, he goes for it.”

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