Was Gachagua Being Undermined By Close Allies Of President Ruto?
The Mt Kenya Times 
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- Going by DP’s remarks in Kutus two days later, the questions that would come to mind are. Was the talk of a fallout between the leaders real? Could it turn out the leaders are playing political games?
- But even if there was no bad blood, Gachagua was going overboard. He needed to rethink his strategy. This is because he was portraying the image of the President in bad light.
- In Meru, the President once again steered clear of the supremacy battle for Mount Kenya kingpin.
- I had earlier followed his three-day working visit to Kikuyu land. He had maintained the same position. I’m not here for politics. I have come to launch the completed development projects and commission new ones.
I have been following closely the ongoing political war triggered by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that pits him with close allies of President William Ruto from Rift Valley.
Gachagua took this war a notch high a few days ago when he addressed parents and pupils of Kutus Primary School in Kirinyaga county and thereafter roadside rallies. Later in the day he addressed other rallies in in his back yard of Nyeri county.
He minced no word in hitting out at unnamed politicians from Mount Kenya whom he claimed were working at the behest of Dr Ruto’s allies to ‘finish him politically’. ”
“I’m being fought because of revealing my plan to look former President Uhuru Kenyatta. Isn’t Uhuru is our son. Do you want me to continue looking for him? I mean well for Mountain. I want to unite our people. Uhuru is a key pillar in this endeavors”.
The DP further stated: The former President governed this country very well. He initiated mega development projects including building roads and connecting millions of poor households to electricity.
We only had a problem with him because of telling us to vote for Azimio leader Raila Odinga. But my boss President Ruto William has done the same thing. Today Raila is a close friend and key ally of the President.
So we made a big mistake when we shunned our son.
I had chat with a friend of mine. He told me. Gachagua is bitter because his strategy of blocking Azimio leader Raila Odinga from accessing State House failed miserbly.
He was also bitter because Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro had thrown his hat in ring in the battle for Mount Kenya kingpin and he seemed to believe Ndindi was enjoying the support of the President.
During the Raila-led demonstrations, Gachagua had vowed that Raila will never meet President Ruto. “My work is to protect and shield my boss President William Ruto. For this reason, I have set traps around State House. So, Raila will never access this heavily-guarded facility”.
It is worth noting the DP’s latest bare-knuckled attacks on ‘his perceived enemies’ came at a time when President Ruto was away in Italy where he was attending the G7 summit.
Two days earlier, the DP had accompanied President Ruto to a one-day working tour of Meru County.
During this visit, the President’s remarks and body language left no doubt that his working relationship with his deputy remained cordial and strong.
In every stopover, the President told the residents. I’m here with the Deputy President of Republic of Kenya. Let me invite him to address you. When introducing him, he would fondly refer to his nickname, Riggy-G.
When he took the mic, Gachagua minced no word in showering President Ruto with accolades and praises. President Ruto is a good leader who keeps his promises. He has done a lot for the people of Mount Kenya. As his deputy, my work is to help him fulfill the pledges he made to the people of this region.
Today he is here to launch more development projects.
Going by DP’s remarks in Kutus two days later, the questions that would come to mind are. Was the talk of a fallout between the leaders real? Could it turn out the leaders are playing political games?
But even if there was no bad blood, Gachagua was going overboard. He needed to rethink his strategy. This is because he was portraying the image of the President in bad light.
In Meru, the President once again steered clear of the supremacy battle for Mount Kenya kingpin.
I had earlier followed his three-day working visit to Kikuyu land. He had maintained the same position. I’m not here for politics. I have come to launch the completed development projects and commission new ones.
This was the second working visit. He had earlier pitched tent in the Mountain for six days.
The President has so far shown he is truly grateful to the people of this region for having voted for him as a bloc during the 2022 General Election.
In Kiambu, the President read a riot act to the local leaders. It is totally wrong to hire youths to shout at the leaders that you do not want. This habit must stop.He called on local leaders to focus on fulfilling the promises you made to the electorates.
Come 2027 polls, Kenyans will judge each one of us based on the work we have done.
They will not re-elect you because of igniting and being the leading light in early and premature succession politics.
It is worth noting President Ruto toured Kikuyuland just a few days after his Deputy President Rigathi visited Muranga County which is the bedrock of his perceived main political rival, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.
The visit came at a time when Ndindi had heightened political and development activities in Kiharu.
He was also being invited by the elected leaders from other parts of the country to launch similar projects which they had initiated in their respective constituencies.
In Kigumo, Murang’a, the DP stated that President William Ruto and I have no problem preparing and nurturing youthful leaders to take over after we have completed our terms.
Many interpreted this to mean he was preparing to succeed President Ruto in 2032. He was therefore sending a strong message to Ndindi Nyoro that he has slam brakes on his ambitions and wait.
Ndindi, who was present, declared his unconditional and unwavering support for Gachagua and President William Ruto. This was a wise move.
The visit coincided with a post that circulating in social media in which the author argued that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is not safe politically.
Some powerful political forces were working behind the scene to bring him down.
If the forces succeed, President William was likely to pick Ndindi Nyoro as his running mate 2027.
It is worth noting that the prerogative of choosing a running mate lies squarely with the President.
You would expect him to pick the most popular candidate who will help him to deliver votes. Given that majority of voters in the region are young people, a youthful candidate may stand a high chance.
For Ndindi Nyoro, he took a tactical retreat and this informed his change of political strategy.
Speaking when he was hosted by the leaders from Northern Kenya, Rift Valley and Nyanza, the Kiharu MP stated that his loyalty to President William Ruto and his deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was unquestionable.
As their worker, my job is to help them implement the pledges they made to Kenyans during the campaigns.
In Luo Nyanza where he was accompanied by local leaders and MP Babu Owino, Ndindi reiterated the commitment of President Ruto to develop all regions of Kenya.
All of us pay taxes and so we are entitled to development goodies.
Speaker after speaker showered him with accolades.
Ndindi is youthful, development conscious and well educated on matters of good governance and social rights. He also believes in peace and unity. Therefore, he is a presidential material.
In his speech, Ndindi steered clear of succession politics. The talk is premature and ill-timed. This is the time of helping our beloved President and his deputy to succeed in their job of transforming the lives of Kenyans.
During a meeting the Ndindi had earlier convened in Kiharu, the more than 20 MPs present showered him with praises. Hon Ndindi is the best suited to replace former President Uhuru Kenyatta as the kingpin of Mountain and also to succeed President William Ruto in 2032.
This meeting rattled the deputy President Gachagua and his allies.
The DP troops did not wait for the dust to settle. They accused Ndindi of working at the behest of powerful forces out to cut Gachagua to size.
Though they would not provide evidence to support their claims, media reports indicated that the DP opted to escalate this matter to State House.
Reportedly, this what prompted the President to wade into the succession battle pitting him and Kiharu MP.
My government promised to mentor youthful leaders. We have not changed but I want to caution young leaders not to engage in activities that could jeopardize our development agenda. He also called on young leaders in the region to respect DP.
A friend of mine told me. Hon Ndindi have a track record of development, reconciling and uniting the people.
He added: We expect the two leaders to borrow a leaf from the late Kenneth Matiba who said in the countdown to 1992 general elections ‘let the people decide’.
This means the people of Mount Kenya will choose candidate.
If it is Gachagua, then he will retain his position as Dr Ruto’s running mate. If Ndindi defeats him, he will replace him.
Matiba had made the popular quote in the eve of 1992 general elections during a mammoth campaign rallies in Kiambu district.
This is where Matiba branded Kibaki as ‘general Kiguoya (coward )’ amid cheers, ululations from mammoth crowds.
We wanted Kibaki to resign when he was demoted by President Moi from the position of the Vice President to that of the Ministry of Health that had been run down.
Kibaki however betrayed us on the floor of parliament. He declined to second a motion of confidence against President Moi which I had just presented.
This was a great betrayal. I become a marked man. I was put on the radar by state security agencies and I ended up in detention, Matiba declared.
The ‘let the people decide’ clarion call resonated very well with the masses not only in Mount Kenya region but Kenya as a whole.
We can also learn a lesson from famous quote from the former powerful Attorney General the late Charles Njonjo. “Politics is a dirty game’.
You may think that today you are very powerful but you never know what will happen tomorrow.
Njonjo uttered these words after falling out with President Daniel Arap Moi.
He never thought that this can happen. This is because he was a close ally and confidant of President Moi.
Former Vice President Josphat Karanja had also suffered fate. After Moi fell out with his Vice President Mwai Kibaki, he pointed Doctor Karanja to this position.
Karanja stayed in office for less than one year. It is worth to note the political plot to hound him out of office had crafted by two lightweight politicians-Embakasi MP David Mwenje and the head of Motor Vehicle Inspection Unit Kuria Kanyingi.
Just like DP Gachagua, he had downplayed the threat posed by the duo. President Moi replaced Karanja with the late Professor George Saitoti.
Sometimes back Kakamega senator Bonny Khalwale had made similar claims. This happened during Dr Ruto’s visit to the region.
He alleged that President Ruto had held a closed door meeting with the leaders of Mulembe nation at Kakamega State Lodge. We managed to convince him to support the candidature of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi in 2032.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is not suitable for the position of the President. We want to tell him to forget it. President Ruto will pass the baton to Mudavadi, Khalwale added.
But in a swift rejoinder, Dr Ruto lambasted and dismissed his remarks. It is premature and too early to engage in 2032 succession politics. We are here to launch and commission development projects. This is in line with promises we made during the campaigns.
I’m not holding brief for the President but I’m persuaded to believe that his position is the same. This is in regard to Ndindi Nyoro’s political game plan.
The DP should bear this in mind. Ndindi’s political star was rising very fast.
I have been listening to the views of the Kikuyus living in Githurai and in my rural constituency of Mathioya
They would aver that Kiharu MP Ndindi is the most suitable candidate to lead the Mountain.
Apart from being youthful and well educated, he is a development conscious leader and a unifier.
Besides, he has never been implicated in corruption or any other wrong-doing.
Ndindi’s track record of development in Kiharu is there for all to see.
The MPs and other elected leaders are travelling there for bench-marking.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga Is A Writer And Political Analyst Based In Nairobi
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