Former President Uhuru Kenyatta attends the burial of former Assistant Inspector General of Police King'ori Mwangi at Ndugamano village in Tetu constituency on February 17, 2024
Some of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's loyalists in Mt Kenya region are demanding that former President Uhuru Kenyatta come clean on whether he sanctioned Mr Raila Odinga's foot soldiers to join President William Ruto's government.
This comes less than two weeks after Mr Gachagua declared publicly that he and Mr Kenyatta were political allies cooperating to unite Mt Kenya and strategising for the region's future ahead of the 2027 elections.
"After I apologised to the Kenyatta family, Uhuru called me to accept the gesture, his mother forgave me and there are many projects we are undertaking together," Mr Gachagua announced on August 4 during an interview with vernacular TV stations from Mt Kenya.
Those who spoke to Nation.Africa argue that the revelation by Mr Odinga that Uhuru sent him to cooperate with Dr Ruto is highly suspect.
"This is political mischief that needs to be treated with suspicion unless confirmed from the horse’s mouth," said Kiambu Senator Mr Karungo Thang'wa.
According to former Kiambu Governor Mr Ferdinand Waititu, Mr Odinga's statement was only meant to deny Mr Gachagua the much-sought grip of the mountain, hence keeping the area divided.
"Mt Kenya people must remain very vigilant of the political script President Ruto and Mr Odinga are unveiling in this region where they are invoking the name of the former president," he said.
Mr Waititu said Mr Odinga's real intention was to portray Mr Kenyatta as one whose heart is in Azimio, hence a coded message not to follow Mr Gachagua's mountain unity bid.
"It is true that most of our voters feel betrayed since we believe in voting to get government and opposition. It is the reason we expressed ourselves clearly that we wanted Mr Odinga in opposition. The president did not consult us," said Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, an ally of Mr Gachagua.
"The suspicion of the real intentions of the so-called broad-based cabinet where Mr Gachagua's support base feels it is the start of betrayal ahead of 2027 has soared his ratings as the fallback plan."
Ms Kihara said land mines continue to be planted in the Mt Kenya region where politics of sabotage continue to be cheekily unleashed against Mr Gachagua.
"He is seen as the threat to the broader scheme of dividing and ruling us. Mr Odinga is trying to run away with Mr Kenyatta's loyalists. His is a coded message that seeks to tell Mr Kenyatta's followers that they should not join Mr Gachagua's bandwagon since their former president is still in Azimio," she said.
Nyeri Governor Mr Mutahi Kahiga believes that Mr Odinga is only buying time in government before he wrecks it and moves out.
"We wait and see, the pattern is there to help us make deductions, whose margin of error is very slim. We for now give him our support to win peace in the government and deliver what will be possible to our people. Very soon we might be running helter-skelter to save our government," he said.
Nominated MP Teresiah Wairimu concurred saying that after the Gachagua impeachment became difficult, the schemers are now pursuing an elaborate ground sabotage against DP Gachagua.
"The chap has become a religion in Mt Kenya. He is now being fought through the return of killer brews, delayed and poor coffee and tea returns as well as fighting the one man one shilling mantra," she said.
Other sabotage plots cited are fighting the success of Mt Kenya unity, warning elected leaders to keep off Mr Gachagua's public functions, and sustaining the narrative that Gachagua is in government for his gain.
Former Gatanga MP Mr Nduati Ngugi told Nation.Africa: "We have been attending many consultative forums and never once in the recent past have we been briefed of Mr Kenyatta's demand that we cooperate with Mr Odinga in bailing out the president."
"Ordinarily, the former president speaks to us through our Jubilee Party Secretary General Mr Jeremiah Kioni and so far we have not been briefed about Odinga's new assertion."
"It is highly suspect that Mr Odinga is telling the truth...all Mr Kenyatta's loyalists like Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, DAP leader Mr Eugene Wamalwa, Mr Kioni, former presidential aspirant Peter Kenneth and PNU leader Peter Munya have publicly trashed the broad-based cabinet."
Mr Kioni said he is not aware of any Kenyatta and Odinga pact. Former Bahati MP Mr Kimani Ngunjiri said Mr Odinga is trying to stop Mt Kenya from uniting.
“He wants to hoodwink the 13 percent who voted for him in our region and try to unite them with those against Mr Gachagua's unity efforts,” Mr Ngunjiri said.
He demanded that Mr Kenyatta break his silence and offer his position about the issue. Mr Ngunjiri challenged Mt Kenya residents to prioritise their unity, form their own 2027 party, and vote for one of their own.
He said that after he backed down from impeaching Mr Gachagua, the president's men now appear set to confront the second in command among voters where he is said to have gained a near fanatical following.
However, nominated MP Mr Wilson Session argued that there is no one seeking to hoodwink Mt Kenya.
"The president and Mr Odinga have only crossed rank to stabilise the country so that in unity the government can deliver its mandate to the people," he said.
"Mt Kenya has lost nothing, it has its eight slots and Mr Gachagua remains the second most powerful man in the government."
Political analyst Mr Gasper Odhiambo said Mr Kenyatta's name is being used as a staircase into Mt Kenya's populous vote basket.
"Mr Kenyatta's continued silence on the issue is an advantage to the president and Mr Odinga, but anguish to Mr Gachagua."
Former Presidential aspirant Jimi Wanjigi on Tuesday night during a Citizen TV interview said Mr Odinga had been misled to join a sinking ship.
