By Anderson Ojwang
The self-declared truthful man and Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua could be out on a mission. Rigathi wants to turn the mission impossible into a mission possible.
And already he is dangling a “presidential carrot” to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Rigathi is extending overtures to Raila with a view to forestall and rock any would be political alliance with his former boss, President William Ruto.
Just after the African Union Commission Chairman election in which Raila lost, Rigathi asked the former Langata MP to join them and help remove Ruto from power.
But as he attempts to woo the former PM to their wing, Rigathi has been giving contradicting and double speak on the person of Raila, accusing him of betraying wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and at the same time, that he is ready to support him for presidency.
Once declared an ardent and fierce critic of Raila during the 2022 presidential election and after assumption of office, Rigathi is changing the tune and is sending a mixed signal.
Ahead of last year’s election and during the campaign, Rigathi said “ We want to tell Raila and those supporting him that they should respect the Kikuyu community.
You people like Francis Atwoli, Cotu Secretary General, and David Murathe, former MP, stop cheating Raila Odinga. Raila Odinga is unacceptable to the people of Mt Kenya. Come rain and sunshine. We support President Uhuru Kenyatta on his development projects for Mt Kenya but in Raila Odinga, we say No. We have been defeated. We have tried to support Raila and it’s difficult,”
Ahead of the last general election, Raila’s running mate, Martha Karua revealed an oath that was meant to stop the first vice President the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and the Luo community from acceding to the presidency.
Karua revealed “ I am in Kerugoya, a standard six pupil and suddenly there is oathing. The 1969 Oath, where, all the people of Mt Kenya are trooping to Gatundu to Jomo Kenyatta’s home to take oath.
And where even school-going children are being asked to take the oath I come home for holidays, I am being told that my younger brother, walked to go take an oath. The oath was being administered at Kabare, so people walked for eight kilometres to receive the oath.
The oath was, as I heard it then, that those from the Mt Kenya side were to retain the presidency and would allow it to go not beyond Mt Kenya and specifically, the Luo nation,”
During a recent KTN interview, Rigathi hinted at the possibility of supporting and working with Raila. He said “ I am open to working with anybody who means well for this country.
I want to take this opportunity to tell supporters of Raila Odinga from Nyanza, that they should not fight the Mountain people. Because we are not their enemies at all.
We have a problem with President William Ruto, We have no problem with Raila Odinga and ODM. I saw after Raila lost the AUC election, some people from Rift Valley, the supporters of the president and some supporters of Raila trying to blame murima for the loss, just because some women celebrated the loss.
We have no problem with Raila and I have had several consultations. infect has done 400 meetings, people have asked me to look for friends.
For the record, for many years we have had a problem with Raila because he had been demonized as someone who is against the mountain people.
In 2020, Uhuru convinced us that Raila is a good man but Ruto, then deputy president convinced us that Raila is a bad man.
He is a witch doctor, lord of poverty and means bad for this country. Ruto was more persuasive than Kenyatta.
Raila has been cleaned by everybody. Uhuru said he is a good man, Ruto is today singing praises for Raila as the best leader not only for Kenya but Africa.
We refused to vote for Raila not because he was a very bad man but because Ruto convinced us, that Raila was a victim of our community’s deceit for betrayal.
Because we hate betrayal we decided to punish Uhuru and Raila at the same time.
Raila has never betrayed us. He has not done anything so grave that in our view makes it impossible for us to work together. If he wants to be president, he can talk to us and we don’t have a problem.
We are ready to work with Raila. If Raila decides, to join the rest of Kenyans to liberate our country, and gets on his right footings and calls on us for a discussion on the possibility of working together, we are open to that discussion. We are not selfish people, we are ready to support another person, be it Raila, or anybody,” he said.
I want to tell Raila and his supporters, I know, I am not qualified to advise him but from my working with Ruto, he should be very careful.
Political analyst Mwalimu Odoyo Owidi said Rigathi’s offer was meant to pacify Raila and his support base to be used to do the dirty and donkey work.
Odoyo said “In 2007 when Raila contested or the presidency, Mt Kenya said they would rather vote for anything than vote for a kihii.
In 2013 they promised to vote for anyone but not a Mungoroki and in 2017 they said Taila should retire and go to Opoda.
In 2018, after convincing Raila to support Uhuru and bring peace as Uhuru pleaded with them to vote for Raila. They said Uhuru and Raila are dynasties which must end.
After losing in 2022 Raila went to the streets to oppose to demand justice. They called him Mtuu ya maandamano who loves blood.
When Ruto included Luos in government, they said Luo did not have shares in government and they plotted to remove Ruto.
Finally, when Raila sided with Ruto, they called him a traitor and currently they are luring Raila to abandon Ruto to follow them. Let the clear the oath first before asking to support Raila,”.
Will Raila finally abandon the broad-based government to join his tormentor?
