By Anderson Ojwang
Impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua became a national political outcast and villain. He lost all trappings of power and is constitutionally barred from holding public office.
But back in Murima, the Mountain, Rigathi has emerged as a hero, the new sheriff, and the determinant of the political course of the region.
Even with the appointment of Deputy President Prof. Abraham Kithure Kindiki as the successor and checkmate to Rigathi in the Mt Kenya region, the change on the litmus paper has been negligible.
Last Saturday, the political chemical test on the litmus paper and subsequent reactions were anticipated because, for the first time, President William Ruto, immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, and the impeached Rigathi Gachagua met in Embu County.
Former President Uhuru has been out of the country for several months and has not attended any public functions, while President Ruto and his impeached former deputy have not met in public since the new incumbent assumed office.
This was during the episcopal ordination and installation of Rev. Peter Kimani as the fourth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Embu at the University of Embu grounds.
The event, a holy one meant for the installation of Bishop Peter Kimani, came hot on the heels of a statement by the Catholic Church criticising President Ruto over various issues affecting his government, ranging from abductions and corruption to the high cost of living.
The statement by Catholic Bishops stirred a flurry of political reactions from Ruto and his allies, who castigated the Church, saying they should be factual and careful lest they become victims of the accusations they had labelled against his administration.
President Ruto, speaking at a graduation ceremony at Tangaza University on Friday, 15 November, urged the clergy to ensure their statements were factual to avoid misleading the public.
“I urge all leaders, including the clergy, to work together toward building a nation we can all be proud of. Even as we discuss important national issues, we must remain factual to avoid falling into the same traps we accuse others of,” he said.
But in Embu, the mood on the ground was different. The dignitaries’ arrival and departure were marked by contrasting receptions, with some receiving backlash and others getting a rousing welcome.
For President Ruto, it was a wake-up call that his political backyard, Mt Kenya, was slipping away from his tight grip to his immediate predecessor and the impeached Deputy. Even the appointment of Kithure has minimally neutralised the expanding influence of Rigathi, who is fast becoming the de facto leader in the region.
Interestingly, on Saturday, President Ruto did not greet his former deputy Rigathi when the two met in public.
The failure of Dr Ruto and Mr Gachagua to greet each other was a clear demonstration of their continuing political differences. Mr Kenyatta, on the other hand, arrived shortly after the Head of State and received a standing ovation from the congregation and leaders present. He later shook hands with Dr Ruto and Prof. Kindiki.
Worshippers loudly cheered Mr Kenyatta as he made his way to the front seats, temporarily disrupting the ceremony. This necessitated the intervention of Archbishop Anthony Muheria, who reminded the worshippers that they were in a church service and should maintain silence.
For Rigathi, he entered the muddy venue and chose to sit in the front row of the congregation, where he watched the proceedings. In his company were the impeached former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and Githunguri MP Gathoni Wa Muchomba. He was wildly cheered as he made his way in and out of the venue, reflecting his popular public approval in the Mountain.
In Mathira Constituency, Rigathi’s homeland, the residents have so far collected thousands of signatures with a view to recalling their MP, Eric Wamumbi, over what they termed as betrayal.
They accused the MP of voting in favour of Rigathi’s impeachment, a move they claim was made without their support. They also allege that Wamumbi has misused public funds, neglecting development in the constituency since taking office.
In the neighbouring Nyeri Town constituency, MP Duncan Maina recently faced hostility from residents, who chased him away, claiming he was a “traitor” for supporting the impeachment motion against Rigathi.
Political Analyst Mr Martin Andati says Mt Kenya abandoned President Ruto a long time ago and any political overtures to the Mountain will yield minimal gain.
He says Rigathi started by playing politics of rebellion that endeared him to the Mountain, and he became their spokesperson through his position in the government and Uhuru’s retirement.
“From rebellion politics, Rigathi moved to whip the emotions of the Mountain by playing victim, and he has swayed public sentiment. The majority of the Mountain are now with him. He is the de facto leader of Murima. Give it to him,” he says.
Martin says it was hoped that through the appointment of Kithure, the Mountain could be split between West and East. However, based on Saturday’s events in Embu, it is clear that it is more galvanised than before.
“The reaction in Embu, Kithure’s backyard, left President Ruto with much to reflect on. The appointment of his deputy will have minimal political gain in his 2027 presidential elections. The vote bloc is gone, and it is high time he looked elsewhere,” he says.
