By Valentine Omondi
The united opposition is on the cross and threatened by internal grit in Mt Kenya that could undermine the much-sought-after unity.
Internal disagreements are emerging from the restive Mt Kenya, pitting former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his DCP party against other political players and parties.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election has become the point of departure for Mt Kenya, as Gachagua is now convinced that his DCP party is the party of the region and wants to remain the de facto leader.
No space for Azimio La Umoja coalition
The recent admission of parties from Mt Kenya into the coalition did not augur well with Gachagua and his allies.
For Gachagua and his allies, former President Uhuru Kenyatta was trying to call the shots in the opposition and positioning his allies and buddies into leadership positions while they have no following.
Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka wrote after the meeting: “We resolved to reorganise and rebrand Azimio, welcomed Dr Fred Matiang’i, Peter Munya and Lenny Kivuti into the Azimio Council, and extended invitations to the Democratic Action Party Kenya (DAP-K) led by Hon. Eugene Wamalwa, Umoja na Maendeleo Party (UMP) led by Governor Kawira Mwangaza, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Omingo Magara, and the Democratic Party (DP) led by Speaker JB Muturi to join our growing coalition.”
He said the Council also mandated him to continue engaging like-minded political formations, including the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), the United Green Movement (UGM), and Linda Mwananchi upon its registration, as they continue building a broad national movement.
But MP James Gakuya dismissed the overture, saying DCP had no space for the coalition.
“Personally, and the whole fraternity of DCP, we have no space in Azimio. Even going forward, we cannot recognise it at all,” he said.
He said the opposition should work on a new coalition outfit and not Azimio La Umoja.
“If we are going to make any formation going forward, it should not be Azimio at all. That one we are going to reject in totality. We cannot allow ourselves to be fixed to that particular cocoon. As DCP, we cannot even dare to be part of Azimio on a single day,” he said.
King of the Mountain
Gachagua and his allies argue that most of the political parties and leaders have not been campaigning and mobilising and instead prefer press conferences.
DCP Organising Secretary Mithika Linturi did not mince his words over the poor show by DP and PNU in the recent by-elections in the region, and that is why they should fold and join DCP.
“In a democracy, political banter is inevitable. However, when an election result hurts you, do not deflect or become overly emotional. Instead, engage in some soul-searching,” he said.
Linturi said every political party in Kenya was free to market itself in whatever way it deems fit, provided it operates within the law.
“Take, for instance, PNU, DP, and the infamous tyre-less MBASS Party. Please market your parties. Leave the boardrooms. Nobody has invited you to DCP. You are also free to persuade us to join your parties,” he said.
He said the parties performed dismally in the recent by-elections and have no moral authority to complain.
“For instance, in Emurua Dikirr, the PNU candidate garnered 80 votes, while the DCP Party candidate received 10,760 votes. In Ol Kalou, the PNU candidate garnered 28 votes against DCP’s 35,440 votes. More recently, in the Evurore and Muminji ward by-elections, MBASS and DP lost miserably on their home turf. So, how did the DCP Party become part and parcel of those losses, and why are you so annoyed, my brothers?” he said.
But Munya, in a TV interview, said Gachagua and his allies have turned into bullies and were hurting the unity of the opposition.
Uhuru’s kid boys in hot pepe soup
Muturi and Munya find themselves in hot pepe soup and now have to face off with Gachagua.
Former President Uhuru, whom they have relied on, is a hands-off kind of leader and seems to be delegating the responsibility to Kalonzo.
For Kalonzo, he needs Gachagua to realise his presidential ambition and finds himself in a catch-22 situation.
Muturi questioned why Gachagua expected established parties to fold into a party that was only recently launched.
“Why are you saying, in the absence of those other leaders of those other parties, why are you telling them to dissolve and join DCP? And you just formed your party the other day. You found these other parties in existence. What has prompted you to think that they should dissolve and join this new outfit?” Muturi posed.
Munya dismissed suggestions that Gachagua had been endorsed to speak on behalf of the entire Mt Kenya region, insisting no such consensus had been reached.
“We also reject any impression that Gachagua has been appointed or mandated to speak on behalf of all the people, all political parties associated with the Mt Kenya region. Nor has any consensus been reached conferring such authority upon him,” Munya said.
Kivuti defended the parties’ decision to air their concerns publicly, saying coalition partners should be free to express differing views without being accused of undermining unity.
“We are part of the united opposition. Would you rather have us talk about anything – the reorganising, the self-respect, about how things should be? You’d like us to keep quiet until we sit in a boardroom?” Kivuti asked.
But Gachagua has flatly dismissed them, saying they should go out and popularise their parties ahead of any negotiations.
Waterloo
Mt Kenya remains one of the country’s most influential voting blocs, making the region central to the opposition’s strategy for 2027.
However, with several parties seeking recognition and influence within the coalition, questions over leadership and party autonomy are already emerging.
For the opposition, Mt Kenya could be its Waterloo.
