Reactions to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's statement that Mt Kenya voters are ready to overwhelmingly back ODM leader Raila Odinga to unseat President Ruto in 2027 have been swift and intense, exposing shifting political allegiances.
On Monday, Mr Gachagua claimed he was in constant consultation with former President Uhuru Kenyatta on the matter, claiming it was only Mr Odinga who was dithering.
"As my senior in the hierarchy of elders, Mr Kenyatta advises us whenever we need guidance... as we walk this path together, he is with us," Mr Gachagua claimed in an interview with KTN on Monday night.
Mr Gachagua said it was up to Mr Odinga to decide whether he wanted to play second fiddle to President Ruto or embrace Mount Kenya "and be made President".
He reminded Mr Odinga that "we in Mt Kenya have shown that we can support a candidate from outside our community as we gave Ruto 87 per cent of our votes in the 2022 General Election and the rest went to you".
Gachagua: Mt Kenya people voted for William Ruto, who is not Kikuyu
"It is up to him to decide whether he wants to be president... For now, it is premature to talk about it. He cannot be endorsed without first making up his mind," Mr Gachagua said.
Mr Gachagua said he was in the process of forming an anti-Ruto alliance for 2027, naming himself, Mr Odinga, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah and DAP leader Eugene Wamalwa as potential flagbearers.
"Mr Musyoka is promising... Mr Odinga as our Mt Kenya presidential candidate is even more exciting... He usually averages about six million votes, we have our six million. By 10am on polling day, President Odinga will be elected," Mr Gachagua claimed.
Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu, Maragua MP Mary wa Maua and Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka urged Mr Odinga to consider the former deputy president's offer.
However, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, Laikipia East MP
"We fully support our kingpin from Wamunyoro. Before he went for the interview, he asked for our views. We told him that our position is unanimous: we are open to working with anyone except Ruto himself," Mr Nyutu told Nation.Africa
We support Mr Gachagua in his quest for the good of the country and we have mandated him to work with all leaders who wish this country well," said Maragua MP.
"Gone are the days when we as Mt Kenya approached elections from the point of baseless hatred. We are now more than ready to support any candidate who, on the scales, can make us regain the prosperity dream of our forefathers," Wa Maua added.
"Mr Odinga should take Wamunyoro's advice. Mr Odinga should be very careful with President Ruto. Promising Mr Odinga the Prime Minister's slot is a folly because it will require a referendum," Mr Onyonka argued.
ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna told Citizen TV that "the way President Ruto is afraid of the people of Kenya, he will not want to face the people in a referendum".
Mr Odinga, he went on, should be spared all the unsolicited advice, adding that "we as a party know that Mr Odinga has his mind and his voice intact and should it be necessary for him to make his feelings on 2027 known, he will speak first hand".
"You cannot tell us that you are uniting Mt Kenya to hate President Ruto and expect us to take you seriously. What drives Mr Gachagua is anger, revenge and selfishness that makes Mt Kenya voters your wares to trade on the market," said Mr Kiunjuri.
"The records are very clear about the many bad things he has said about Mr Odinga. We are not fools not to know that he is supporting Mr Odinga and the Supreme Court for personal gain. Mr Gachagua surrounded by all the greenhorns he has cannot be the one to save Kenya and Mr Odinga," Mr Kiunjuri charged.
Mr Ichung'wa said, "Mr Gachagua has this funny story that he was impeached by President Ruto." "He should show us the records where President Ruto signed the impeachment motion or cast a vote in the Senate or National Assembly," he challenged the former Deputy President.
"Mr Odinga is not such a tribalist and vindictive to fall for the Gachagua trick. Mr Odinga is safest partnering with President Ruto who is more national in outlook," Mr Ichung'wa claimed.
Mr Sudi told Nation.Africa that President Ruto was not in crisis. "Mr Odinga is such a patriot and accomplished that of all the people who can take him to the next level of glory, it is not Gachagua," Mr Sudi argued.
"It is laughable to hear Mr Gachagua promising Mr Odinga greatness when it is Gachagua who needs Mr Odinga to survive a looming doomsday in his tribal politics," Mr Sudi argued.
On Monday, Mr Gachagua said Mr Odinga's MPs had done nothing wrong to help President Ruto impeach him.
"It was President Ruto who orchestrated the impeachment. He is our main enemy and he is the only one who is locked out of any cooperation talks with Mt Kenya," he declared.
But Mr Gachagua's latest position on Mr Odinga contradicts that of his ally, Nyandarua Senator John Methu. "When they impeached Mr Gachagua, they celebrated and now it is our time to celebrate anything that hurts both Ruto and Odinga," Mr Methu said in Meru County last Sunday.
Mr Odinga has since urged his supporters to be patient as he consults on the next political direction.
"You cannot try to be President five times and then demean yourself to be Prime Minister? Go for the presidency," Mr Gachagua urged Mr Odinga, 81.
"If Ruto now believes that you are no longer the lord of poverty, that you are the best for Africa to the extent that he campaigned for you to be the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), let him declare that he will serve one term and endorse you to succeed him in 2027," the former Mathira MP said.
The former deputy president said Mt Kenya had now learnt the hard way that it had all along made Mr Odinga an electoral bogeyman for no reason.
"I sometimes cry in private in remorse at how Ruto has deceived, cheated and manipulated me into campaigning against you," he claimed. "We went into the elections with the misguided notion that Mr Odinga is a bad man who is only good at creating chaos and promoting poverty. But we are now wiser and open to dealing with him," he said.
Kalonzo blames President Ruto for Raila’s AUC loss
Addressing Mr Odinga's supporters, Mr Gachagua said: "We are not enemies. We only have a problem with President Ruto, not Odinga, his community, his supporters or ODM.
He said Mt Kenya did not vote in the AUC election where Mr Odinga was defeated, "and the fact that some of our people were seen celebrating his defeat does not mean that the region was not for his candidature".
