By Anderson Ojwang
The Mountain erupted and exploded when the impeached Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, stormed Ihura Stadium in Muranga County at the weekend to a rousing welcome.
The villain became a hero as the mammoth crowd showered love on their new leader. It was an electrifying moment as the crowd and other leaders went wild. The smiling descendant of the Mau Mau movement walked stealthily to the podium to assume his new position with honour.
Murima (the Mountain) spoke loudly to President William Ruto: the marriage could be over, and Rigathi is our new leader. The crowd chanted, “Ruto must go!”
However, the rattled President didn’t take it lying down. He responded to the Mountain in style. On Tuesday, he landed in Kondele, the political barometer of Nyanza and the country—a region feared by politicians for its volatile and restive nature.
Successive leaders, including the founding President, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, former Presidents the late Daniel Arap Moi, the late Mwai Kibaki, and Uhuru Kenyatta, as well as former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and President Ruto himself, have all borne the brunt of Kondele’s infamous temperament.
President Ruto, however, received a rousing welcome in Kondele, sending a candid message to Murima about his newfound political base. It was a battle royale of crowds—Ihura Stadium versus the famous Kondele, often likened to “Darfur” for its intensity. The Kondele crowd didn’t disappoint, responding with the song, “Yote yawezekana bila Murima” (All is possible without the Mountain).
The excited President charmed the Kisumu residents with promises of development projects and other goodies. He urged them to reject tribal politics and embrace unity.
“I stood here in Kondele and said that one day I helped Agwambo (Raila) during the 2007 presidential election when I supported his candidature. This time, he has returned the favour and helped me. Is there a problem with that?”
He continued: “I said we would unite Kenyans to be one. The people propagating the gospel of tribalism, hatred, and division—we will show them the road to go home. I ask you, the people of Kisumu, do you agree that we unite the country to be one? Do you agree that we stop tribalism, hatred, and division? Should those propagating division walk home? Do you want Raila and me to continue working together? Currently, I am supporting Raila’s candidature, and his campaign in West Africa has been very successful.”
Meanwhile, in Muranga, Rigathi Gachagua spoke passionately, claiming that Parliament had been captured and that few leaders dared to speak for the people. He called on the church to take up the space and advocate against the ills in society.
“We depend on the church. The level of impunity in this country is at an all-time high,” Rigathi said.
He alleged that his fallout with President Ruto stemmed from disagreements over issues such as the Adani deal.
“At the Cabinet, I was the only one who could tell the President the truth. Others were cowards. Ministers would ask me to speak on their behalf because they feared. I told the President that the Adani deal was shady, riddled with corruption, and was auctioning our country and its people. He didn’t like it and started claiming I was against government projects. Is corruption a government project?”
Rigathi continued: “I was charged in the Senate for disrespecting the President because I opposed government projects. I want to ask President Ruto to take time to read John 8:31, which says, ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ He should listen to the people of Kenya. It is sad that it took intervention from the USA for him to act. When I met avocado farmers in Muranga, I was summoned and accused of propagating tribalism. Where is my sin?”
Rigathi criticised his successor, Prof. Kithure Kindiki, saying, “The person who has been appointed to my position cannot talk or act. I was the only one in Cabinet who opposed the finance bill, but Kenyans shut me down.”
Former Nyakach MP Pollyns Ochieng Daima said the heroic reception for President Ruto in Kisumu was telling, suggesting he could rely on Nyanza to anchor his 2027 presidential bid.
“The mammoth and electrifying crowd in Kisumu was a response to Muranga—a score for President Ruto. Rigathi’s crowd was on home turf. We are happy with the turnout by our people, and it’s a sign of a maturing democracy,” he said.
However, political analyst Michael Agwanda argued that the Muranga crowd was organic and spontaneous, driven by rebellion, while the Kondele crowd may have been orchestrated.“Ruto is looking to Kisumu as a safety net for the 2027 presidential contest. However, he has to work extra hard to win over other regions. Crowds can be deceptive,” he said
