Your ticket will give Ruto easy time, Kioni tells Gachagua

A section of opposition leaders wants former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to shelve his presidential ambitions in 2027.

They argue that President William Ruto may easily win re-election if Gachagua's name is on the ballot.

Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni says should Gachagua vie for the presidency, his candidacy may not sell countrywide due to the tribal tag that has been attached to his name.

“Gachagua’s candidature will only attract votes in Mt Kenya region and not from any other community because of various factors that include the tribal tag, the shareholding remarks and the way he has been branded as a regional kingpin,” says Kioni.

“That is why I am telling Gachagua to end talks of his presidential bid. If he does that, he will have given Ruto the highway to get back to State House. That is why I am rallying all Kenyans to back Fred Matiang’i.” 

At the same time, former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu claims Gachagua has been labeled as a divisive leader who was also allegedly rocking the opposition from within.

“His character, philosophy and strong personality is an off in politics. One moment he is with People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua praising her as an iron lady and the next moment he is badmouthing her party. One moment he hails Matiang'i as a national leader and in the next moment he is advising him to mobilise his community,” he says.

According to Wambugu, Gachagua was giving the government fodder to hit at the opposition even as he accused Gachagua of pretending to manage the opposition.

“Opposition politics is about coalition building, commitment and sacrifice but his lack of humility is making it harder for the opposition to come together. He can’t purport to be the one organising the opposition while Kalonzo has been there for 27 years.” 

However, Gachagua’s rise in popularity, especially in Mt Kenya region, has thrown his colleagues, such as Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka off balance. Sources intimate that Kalonzo had established a strategy to try and penetrate the region on his own.

“Kalonzo feels that Gachagua’s continued rise in politics will be a blow to plans in the sense that he may demand to be the opposition’s flag-bearer and even if he becomes a kingmaker and they form the government, he will be the one calling shots based on the number of the elective seats in Gachagua’s backyard,” says a Kalonzo ally.

As a result, Wiper is in the process of rebranding to give it a fresh look and remove the notion that it is a Ukambani party.

After launching his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) that has seen members send close to Sh100 million, according to Gachagua, his allies maintain that he was the best presidential candidate to beat Ruto.

Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang'wa believes that Gachagua had effectively tamed Ruto and hence is the best rival in the 2027 General Election.

“He can’t be the one who has ably dealt with Ruto only for him to drop the ball and support another presidential candidate. His name should be in the ballot .” 

Although Gachagua has declared his presidential ambition, he has committed to reaching a consensus with his colleagues in other parties so that they could support one of them to make Ruto a one-term president.

Last month, Matiang'i exuded confidence that the opposition would hold on together until 2027.

Some commentators believe Kenya's politics is tribal and based on interests, and as such, Gachagua was right to call for regional consolidation of votes.

“If the past voting pattern is anything to go by, communities coalesce on mtu wetu mantra, and that is why every political figure has a backing at home. It is unethical but the sad reality of the state of our politics,” says Dr Kamau Wairuri.