Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addresses journalists outside Karen Hospital in Nairobi on October 20, 2024.
Former Deputy President Rigathi achagua appears to have gone back to the drawing board as he charts his political way forward following his recent impeachment.
His close allies reveal that the silence is tactical as movements happen beneath the surface.
Mr Gachagua has himself confirmed that he has gone slow in his political incursions to afford himself time to recoup his energies and onslaughts.
A man who risks getting banned from holding public office if the courts uphold his impeachment, Mr Gachagua is reported to be targeting either becoming king or kingmaker.
“We are pushing for the quashing of the impeachment, which will clear him to run for public office earliest 2027. That is the projected agenda,” said Baragwi MCA David Mathenge.
Mr Mathenge is the Kirinyaga County ward representative who managed to get the conservatory orders from Kerugoya court that had barred for a few days the swearing in of Prof Kithure Kindiki.
Because the cases that the “people’s Deputy president” has filed challenging his impeachment have been scheduled to resume in January next year, he said, it “gives us a moment to relax and recharge for battle”.
Already, Mr Gachagua has declared that he will not be throwing in the towel, will go nowhere and will be a force in 2027.
“Let us keep quiet, keep the peace...and be patient. Our moment is coming soon. We will have our sweet revenge at the opportune time. That time is not far away. I will be back to give the direction we will take,” Mr Gachagua said recently while in Kiambu County.
A man who recently confessed on October 20 that he is recuperating after he suddenly fell ill as he defended his impeachment at the Senate, health concerns might be another reason he is taking it easy.
Mr Gachagua’s wife had on November 2, while in Kirinyaga County, declared that she has “a new service to stand by this man in both the good and the bad moments”.
“I assure you he is well. He is fine and has the strongest spirit that for now is under trial...but he will soon make the glory of God that conquers obstacles be manifested for all to behold,” she said.
Another reason reportedly making the former second-in-command retreat from the frontline is the need to pacify ground emotions.
According to Nyandarua Senator John Methu, the restlessness that has gripped Mt Kenya region voters is risky if not well managed.
“There is a raging anger on the ground,” he said. “You only need to visit social media platforms of Mt Kenya-based media stations and go through comments. The raw emotions in support of Gachagua must be managed responsibly”.
“This is the reason why Gachagua, while in Kiambu County, prayed for peace, urging his support base to swallow the bitter pill of the impeachment and instead wait for 2027 to make their emotions known,” he added.
Further, Mr Gachagua is said to have tasked his political advisers to first analyse the competition that is bound to erupt as power and contest formations realign in Mt Kenya and the country at large.
With a Mt Kenya that now appears unanimous that it was a grave mistake to enter into the Kenya Kwanza Alliance without its own political party, Mr Gachagua is said to be keen to organise himself first in a special-purpose vehicle for 2027.
One of his Central region pointmen, Mr Mwangi Kibeti, told Nation.Africa: “We want to organise ourselves well, see how we can well manage the huge interest that Gachagua is attracting as the 2027 ship steward.”
“At best, Gachagua will be on the ballot and at worst, he will be a kingmaker,” he added.
In that aspect, he said there are ground teams that are drawing a tentative list of contestants that will take on those who will be outside Gachagua’s ambit.
“We want to have our ground teams this early. We also want to have our own communication structures and programmes. It is decided that we will not be on President William Ruto’s second-term project,” he said.
The most likely major competitor in Mt Kenya region will be President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Further, said Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa, there are possibilities of Mr Gachagua making a deal with other regions so as to increase chances of success.
He said there is a possibility that Mr Gachagua and his allies will be closing ranks with key leaders from across the country for purposes of fielding a formidable force able to cause an upset.
“We have friends, and they are many. They are willing to join us and battle from the same 2027 terraces...that requires time and strategy. President Ruto started scheming against his boss Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 and had 10 years of organising himself. We only have two years,” he said.
Mr Thang’wa revealed that the major schemer who helped President Ruto succeed in 2022 was Mr Gachagua.
“Gachagua knows the ropes. He perfectly understands the ground,” he said. “Trust the process and all shall be well.”
Mr Gachagua had last year revealed how he led a team that was christened “Big Six” that schemed on how Mt Kenya would rebel against Kenyatta in the 2022 General Election.
He revealed that the team had him as well as the now Lands CS Alice Wahome, Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah and the President’s economic advisor, Mr Moses Kuria.
Of the six only Ms Kihara has remained stuck in Gachagua’s corner today. Mr Nyoro is seen as sitting on the fence. The other four are in President Ruto’s camp.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu said another cause for going slow is to avoid giving President Ruto and his allies excuses to start cracking down on Mr Gachagua’s allies.
“We will bide our time and at the opportune time come out forcefully. This is a government capable of doing anything, and we don’t want to give it justification to play silly on us because that will only hurt Wanjiku more,” he said.
“We do not want to give the government propaganda material to use us as scapegoats as to why no work is being done.”
Manyatta MP Mr Gitonga Mukunji said: “We have been advised by Mr Gachagua to give the government its space to implement its programmes without according it an escape route of blaming us”.
Bunge la Mwananchi member Calvin Otieno said another key aspect that Mr Gachagua is going slow is to first see what will come out of the February African Union Commission (AUC) chair elections where Kenya’s Raila Odinga is a candidate.
“I have clues that most people in Mt Kenya do not want Mr Odinga to win that seat. They believe that if Odinga’s candidacy flops, he will come back home, dine and wine with Ruto and bolt out ahead of the 2027 General Elections,” he said.
“The thinking around Mt Kenya is that Odinga contesting outside support for President Ruto’s second term makes it possible for a Gachagua-Odinga alliance,” Mr Otieno added.
Other key figures being pursued by Mt Kenya strategists include Wiper Party boss Kalonzo Musyoka, Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
Kikuyu Council of Elders Chairman Wachira Kiago confirmed to Nation.Africa that they had told Mr Gachagua to retreat.
“We have advised him to go slow, bide his time, build networks, cooperate with as many as possible, negotiate and eventually come out of the blocks firing from all barrels,” he said.
