By Anderson Ojwang
Kenya’s political space has been rattled by the declaration of a possible presidential ambition sacrifice in the 2027 general election by Mt Kenya.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hinted that Mt Kenya must be ready to sacrifice its presidential pursuit in the 2027 general elections for another opposition candidate.
Gachagua, on the fourth day of the conclave, said for President William Ruto to be defeated in the 2027 general elections, the region must be ready to sacrifice its ambition.
“We people must agree, if we will be called upon to make sacrifices. If it will be that Rigathi Gachagua must exit the presidential contest for President Ruto to go home, I am ready to leave the space for that so we take him home,” he said.
Earlier he had declared: “If any of my colleagues is agreed upon, I give a firm commitment to Kenyans. I will lead the campaign and make Ruto a one-term president. Gachagua will lead the presidential campaigns and will do whatever it takes to take President Ruto home,” he said.
The declaration is likely to trigger a political earthquake and leave the space for Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i, Eugene Wamalwa, and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
Flashback
Gachagua went back to the archives and retrieved Ruto’s statement ahead of the 2013 General Elections when a political marriage between then TNA presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and URP leader Ruto joined hands for a joint ticket.
There was a rebellion among Ruto’s Kalenjin community over his support for Kenyatta coming immediately after the 2007 post-election violence.
However, Ruto was able to calm the storm, with the Kalenjin community overwhelmingly voting for Uhuru against then Prime Minister, the late Raila Odinga, whom they had overwhelmingly voted for in the 2007 elections.
In the arrangement, Uhuru was supposed to serve his two terms of 10 years and Ruto the same. But after the 2017 elections, Uhuru and Ruto fell out, with the former supporting Raila in the 2022 presidential election, while Gachagua became Ruto’s running mate and a key person in Mt Kenya.
Gachagua said: “I want to paraphrase what he said. Nyinyi hamuna shida na wakikuyu kama sisi wakalenjin (You people do not have problems with Kikuyus like us Kalenjins). Inafika pahali unatofautisha maneno. Unatafuta serikali kwanza ndio ikusadie mbele (It reaches a time when you look at issues, you first look for leadership and others will follow).”
He said President Ruto had a big scheme against Mt Kenya and that most of the community members in the government were very uncomfortable with the administration but still needed the salary.
“They are advising and telling us what pitfalls to avoid. Of course we are all in agreement, and I think they will join at the right time,” he said.
War cry
Gachagua told the gathering that the Finance Bill was the litmus test for the MPs from the region, and those who would support or abstain from voting would be declared the enemies of the people.
“I have instructed MPs from Mt Kenya allied to us to go and vote against the Finance Bill. Those from Mt Kenya who will vote for it, or those who will abstain from voting, will be clumped as our enemy and must face the wrath of the electorate at the ballot,” he said.
Friends
Gachagua said Mt Kenya has already made friendships with various communities in Kenya, from Ukambani, Kisii, Luhya, among others, and that they have the potential to win the elections.
“They have asked me to move to Wamunyoro to meet stakeholders, opinion leaders, and other people who matter in our political formation to seek their mandate and authority to initiate negotiations with my co-principals with a view to producing a single presidential candidate,” he said.
He said they instructed him that having a single presidential candidate against President Ruto was non-negotiable and the only way to liberate the country.
“They have asked me to stick to that commitment, and I therefore want to commit that I, Gachagua, on the instructions of my nearly 10 million supporters, will lead from the front to identify a single presidential candidate to face Ruto. From our corners, we have two plans, A and B, that we shall discuss with our stakeholders for 45 days. This is critical,” he said.
The conclave
Last week, after the High Court ruling on his impeachment case, Gachagua declared a 45-day conclave in Wamunyoro to plot a new political dispensation and course.
Gachagua’s main agenda was on how to come up with a single presidential candidate to face off with President Ruto, and the game plan is emerging.
The game plan
It is becoming clearer that Mt Kenya may cede ground and not present a presidential candidate, instead seeking a running mate in the 2027 presidential election.
In the 2022 general election, Mt Kenya presented running mates in both political formations, with Martha Karua being the Azimio La Umoja deputy to Raila.
In Kenya Kwanza, Gachagua became Ruto’s deputy and rode to victory but was impeached after the formation of the broad-based government.
“My supporters have instructed me to urgently embark on the implementation of a strategic stand from my Wamunyoro residence for a period of 45 days. From Monday, I will camp in Wamunyoro village to start exhaustive and extensive consultation with my supporters and opinion leaders,” he said.
The agenda of the conclave was aimed at coming up with a formula for identifying a single presidential candidate to face President William Ruto in the 2027 elections.
The plot
Gachagua said through his 4 million supporters he was able to make Ruto president; he will mobilise his 10 million support block to make another person president.
“If Gachagua mobilised 4 million votes and made Ruto president, I will mobilise my 10 million supporters to take him out. I made Ruto president with my supporters. I and my supporters will make someone else the president. I will support another Kenyan,” he said.
Gachagua said there will be no division in the opposition ahead of next year’s elections.
“I will ensure that everybody moves along, in case it is not me, including President Uhuru Kenyatta, to ensure the opposition vote basket for the agreed candidate is full,” he said.
Mt Kenya block
The 45 days of the conclave were aimed at locking President Ruto out of the vote-rich basket of Mt Kenya and opening it up to the would-be opposition presidential candidate.
“When I was hounded out of office in 2024, I retreated to my village of Wamunyoro, engaging with Kenyans. And after exhaustive engagement, talking to over 15,000 people, I was instructed to form a political party to solidify Mt Kenya’s political base and look for friends across the country. This I have successfully done, and the mountain is united to a man, and we now have arguably the most popular party, DCP. We have consolidated our support in totality,” he said.
For President Ruto, it is becoming clearer that he will have to contend with a single main opposition candidate at the ballot, and the dice is now cast.
The restive Mt Kenya could be marching away, and now he must up his game to contain the opposition surge.
