By Anderson Ojwang
Despite impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua publicly detesting the late Raila Amolo Odinga, in true nature, Gachagua loved and adored anything and everything about Raila. He suffered from Raila mania and Raila phobia at the same time.
Gachagua in public humiliated Raila but in private studied, revised, and copied the Raila Odinga political blueprint, word by word, page by page. He memorised and applied every article of Raila’s blueprint without even altering punctuation.
For Gachagua, Raila was everything he dreamt of and wanted in life, but his presence was a constant reminder of his shortfalls.
And now with Raila’s demise, Gachagua is implementing the blueprint and reshaping Mt Kenya politics as he strains his eyes on the wider national politics.
Interestingly, Nyanza, which was the home of a single political basket mentality, is opening up to political parties. The Orange Democratic Movement, which dominated the region’s politics, is in fast decline.
Already, the Linda Mwananchi group is gaining traction in the region, while other parties such as UDA and MDG, among others, are becoming more visible and registering members.
In Mt Kenya, the converse is true, moving towards a single-party mentality under the yoke of DCP of Gachagua.
The one-basket mentality
Mt Kenya was previously viewed as an open political ground for political parties to hunt. The region had never experienced a single political basket mentality. All political parties shared the cake in the general elections, but the trend is fast changing.
The Ol Kalou by-election became the turning point in Mt Kenya’s politics. Gachagua’s DCP overwhelmingly won the elections by 30,000 votes, gaining 86 percent popularity rating in the region.
Jubilee Party of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, which was expected to checkmate DCP, only managed 198 votes, a negligible figure. That statement was powerful and announced a new dispensation in the region.
Gachagua humiliated and destroyed Deputy Jubilee Party leader and presidential candidate Dr Fred Matiang’i. He shut out Matiang’i from Mt Kenya and subtly read the riot act.
The latest opinion poll by TIFA on Friday showed that DCP was emerging as the party of the moment.
Kangata’s dilemma
Murang’a Governor Irungu Kangata was a man in a dilemma: to either follow his conscience and perish or join the single political basket mentality and survive.
The emergence and vibrancy of the Linda Mwananchi group not only threatened the status quo but began to eat into Gachagua’s expected vote block.
“I have always been forced to be on the political side, not necessarily because I believe in it, but because I want to win an election. This is the only time I am doing politics when I am very happy because in my group, I see all tribes. We are in one group. I am so happy because we are fighting for a cause and not a tribe,” Kangata recently said.
Gachagua told Kangata not to take his Linda Mwananchi group to campaign for the DCP candidate in the Ol Kalou by-election.
“We don’t want confusion in Ol Kalou. The campaign has gone on for three months. Irungu Kangata has never been to Ol Kalou. He doesn’t understand the issues and the narratives. He cannot come and bring Linda Mwananchi to campaign on the last day without knowing what the issues are and how the campaigns are being done,” he said.
He said the campaigns have been going on for two months, led by Senator John Methu and others, and wondered about Linda Mwananchi’s value to the team.
“You have not even talked to John Methu; how do you say you are coming to campaign for a candidate you don’t know and have never seen? You don’t know the area, and you don’t know what is happening,” he said.
On Friday, Kangata was in Wamunyoro to pledge loyalty to the new sheriff in the mountain.
Gachagua wrote: “Welcome home, Governor Irungu Kang’ata, where you belong. Today at Wamunyoro Residence, I was pleased to receive my younger brother, Governor Irungu Kang’ata, Governor of Murang’a County, as a member of our party, DCP, the party of the moment and the future. Since its inception, the DCP Party has grown into a strong national party with millions of followers and thousands of prospective aspirants ahead of the 10th August 2027 polls. We now have a Member of the National Assembly and three Members of the County Assemblies from across the country, reflecting the face of Kenya. As we prepare for the next General Election, we are determined to be the majority party in both Houses and the majority across County Assemblies. With me to welcome Governor Kang’ata were the party’s Secretary-General designate, Senator John Methu; DCP National Organising Secretary Senator Mithika Linturi; Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu; Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango; Laikipia Senator John Kinyua; and Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa.”
The making of Wamunyoro
Just like Raila built Opoda as his political home, Gachagua has replicated the same, and today Wamunyoro is streaming and teeming with delegations one after another.
Wamunyoro is the centre of power in Mt Kenya, and the scramble for a Wamunyoro visit has begun in earnest.
Wamunyoro is most mentioned compared to Raila’s Opoda, former President Uhuru’s Ichaweri, and President William Ruto’s Sugoi.
The control
Gachagua has set a target for the 2027 general election which will give him control whether in government or opposition. Gachagua plans to have his say and way altogether. Just like Raila, he wants to be “sirkal.”
Gachagua set a target for the number of elected leaders the party must attain in the 2027 general elections.
“We must get a minimum of 130 MPs in the National Assembly, 720 MCAs, and 20 governors and senators respectively. In Mt Kenya, there are only two sides: you are either for the community or Kasongo, and you cannot be in the middle,” he said.
Number of MPs by region:
- Rift Valley – 90
- Eastern – 34
- Nyanza – 47
- Coast – 28
- Western – 37
- Central Kenya – 39
- Mt. Kenya East – 19
- Lower Eastern – 25
- Nairobi – 18
From the above, Gachagua is assured of securing 90 percent of the 58 parliamentary seats in Mt Kenya. His next target is Nairobi, the Coast, and the Maa community.
In Gachagua, Kenya could be witnessing Raila’s blueprint again.
