By Anderson Ojwang

History could be in the making with the development of a new political manual to override the old template where resignation after a fallout was the order of the day.

Today, the old template by the first vice president of Kenya has come under intense scrutiny and may soon become outdated in the new political dispensation.

Currently, the impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is out to make history by exorcising the ghost of resignation as was founded by the first vice president of Kenya the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

Oginga set a precedent that became a political template and safe exit valve for besieged officeholders after a fallout with the power.

After independence and a fallout between the founding  President the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and his deputy, Oginga opted to resign from the seat of the vice president and instead formed his political party, Kenya’s People Union (KPU)

Oginga’s template became the manual that subsequent officeholders who became besieged followed to the letter and it became like a tradition among the political class.

Fifty-eight years ago, Oginga set a precedent by digging a political pit that has turned out a graveyard for successive politicians who have walked in his path.

The decision by Oginga has continued to shape the country’s political landscape and left high-profile politicians in the obituary.

Former Vice Presidents the late Prof. Josephat Karanja and Prof George Saitoti all resigned and lost their political clout.

But currently,  Rigath has defied the manual to walk through the National Assembly, the Senate, and currently the High Court to challenge his impeachment. 

Rigathi before his impeachment said “I was elected by 7.2 million Kenyans; how dare you suggest I resign without public participation? I have no intention of resigning from this job… I will fight until the end,” he told journalists.

The self-confessed truthful man went ahead to say that those sending emissaries to him to resign were jokers as that was the last thing he would do.

“I will get justice and carry out my duties as DP. Anybody sending me messages to resign is a joker. I have done nothing wrong to Kenyans.” 

Rigathi claimed that some of his friends have been persuading him to step down from his job to avoid impeachment.

“I urge those my friends who are coming to persuade me to resign to stop it because I will not resign,” Rigathi said

Rigathi wondered why he should resign saying “I have no intention to resign; I will fight to the end. How dare you suggest to me to resign?”.

“When I organized this press conference, I got reports suggesting that I wanted to resign. I want to say that I will fight until the end,” he laughed off.

For Oginga on April 14, 1966, he shocked and shook the nation by bowing to the pressure from his opponents and made history as the first vice president in a post-colonial era to resign.

“It is fairly clear that there is pressure and desire that I should leave the government, the authority concerned however, showed reluctance to say openly to the public.

If I thought there was the slightest chance to put things right from within the government, then the desire to remove me from the office would not worry me, as indeed, it has not done for the last year, however, Wananchi my honest opinion is that the present government has reached a point of no return. It can only do for the people the little that the underground master allows it to do.

I, therefore, find it impossible to be part of it and my decision, from now on I should be free and join wananchi that their voice be heard,’ Oginga said at his resignation.

And by that, Oginga opened the country’s pandora box to resignation and political grave that has destroyed and consumed the careers of politicians in the country.

Political Analyst Mr. Patrick Ouya says Rigathi has radically transformed the politics of the country by facing his accusers in the Assembly, Senate, and Court. This is a political milestone and a sign of bravery few politicians would walk.

“Rigathi has erased Oginga’s old script of political resignations and invented a new manual of fighting to the end. This is a new dispensation that will change the political landscape of the country,” he says.

Ouya says those who followed Oginga’s manual found themselves vanquished and in political oblivion. They became history the minute they resigned from the office.

“Look at the story of the late Kenneth Matiba, Martha Karua, the late Josephat Karanja, the late Achieng Oneko among others. They lost their political constituency and never recovered the prominence they enjoyed before resigning,” he argues.

Ouya says Rigathi has come out to tackle the curse of the office of the vice president and his action will ground the future occupant of the seat from manipulation by the president.

“In the future, those in elective posts either in government or political parties will not resign easily. They will take the battle to the next level. Rigathi has set a precedent,”: he says.

By Anderson Ojwang

Kenya’s self-confessed truthful man, the impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, could be fast waking up to the reality and dawn of truth exposing him to the public court.

Rigathi could quickly be sobering to the truth as the ground turns slippery. His words, statements, and public pronouncements of supposed “truth” have returned to haunt him, as he struggles to stabilize his political boat facing heavy storms from capsizing.

Today, the truthful man is on the cross.

The phrase ‘Truthful man’ emerged and became popular when Rigathi appeared for the Deputy Presidential debate in July 2022.

“I am a truthful man, I don’t take alcohol, I wake early to attend meetings,” he said while introducing himself during the debate.

That became his brand and forte, which made a journalist ask him during a recent joint television interview “To some they say you appear to be always in a combative mode. Some say at any opportunity with the microphone you lecture Kenyans. Is the truthful man a bitter person?”

Rigathi responded by saying “What people mistake with bitterness is the truth. I speak my heart. I say what is in my heart. I am a truthful man. I am honest man. Kenyans are not used to honesty and many people have a problem with that,”

During the impeachment motion both at the National Assembly and the Senate, the truthful man found himself accused of “truth’ which became part of the charges pressed against him.

Rigathi displayed hard tackles on former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, immediate former  President Uhuru Kenyatta, and the alleged non-shareholders in the Kenya Kwanza government.

“If Raila wants dialogue, two things, let him come to the president and seek appointment from the controller of  State House, He will find me seated there with a notebook. The only agenda to discuss with Raila Odinga is only one, and to discuss his exit from Kenya’s politics and permanent retirement from this country,” Rigathi said. 

But Raila replied saying “Riggy there is no harm in people dialoguing. Allow people to have a dialogue. Even if you don’t want to hear my view, just listen,”. 

Also, in a quick response Rigathi said “Former Prime Minister, my brother, we don’t reject greetings. We fear you, when you came and befriended our son our Uhuru Kenyatta, he was a good man, he loved us and worked for us.  But he changed because of you,”.

However, the first taste of truth dawned on Rigathi when he revealed that he had been removed from the State House WhatsApp group containing President Ruto’s official schedule highlighting the changing moments. 

When he recently, spoke in an exclusive interview on Citizen TV. Rigathi said, “I no longer know the president’s schedule. My team and I were removed from that WhatsApp group by the president’s Private Secretary, Mr. Maiyo. It’s very petty,”. 

Interestingly, Raila has become a regular visitor to the State House and has made several international and local trips with President Ruto. Truthful moment.

During the post-election demonstrations, Rigathi explained to the opposition leaders the reason for the withdrawal of police. “My brother, I am sorry about that little discomfort that your guards were taken away. I do take this opportunity to explain to you why, it is important that I do so that you understand. Chaos and mayhem that was in Nairobi that Wednesday, for five hours, almost burning the country and brought the country to a standstill, then they announced, they had three days of madness, and we had to get prepared. We needed every police officer available for that work. Because the ones we had were not sufficient. The very logical decision by Kindiki and IG Koome to first get those ones guarding those engaged in the demonstrations to come and protect Kenyans. Where did you want us to get the policemen from? We had to get them somewhere. And you start with those people who were arranging the demonstrations. that is what we did,”

But after his impeachment and discharge from the hospital, truth visited him “ I want to tell people of Kennya I don’t feel safe and that President Ruto will be held responsible for my safety”.

Currently, Rigathi’s private home is being guarded by private security guards, a truthful moment.

During the protest after the 2022 elections, Rigathi also claimed that one of the opposition leaders admitted himself to the hospital.  

“When they realized that the government was resolved to crack down on demonstrations, one person admitted himself to Nairobi hospital and asked doctors to put him on a drip, while others chose to stay in their homes,” Rigathai said.

Ironically, during the Impeachment motion in the Senate, Rigathi also got admitted to Karen Hospital before he could be cross-examined by the senators but the Senate went ahead to uphold his impeachment by the assembly.

Rigathi said he had retreated to Harambee Annex for Lunch with his team when he fell ill.

“After lunch, we looked at possible areas of cross-examination then my team left for the Senate. I went to my office and then suddenly I developed a very intense pain in the chest. As I was speaking with my doctor, I started to experience shortness of breath and Dr Gikonyo instructed me to drop everything I was doing and get to Karen as quickly as possible,” he said.

 After the 2022 presidential victory, Rigathi took the gospel of shareholding in the government and often reminded those who never supported them in the last elections that the KK government was like a company owned through shares.

“This government is a company that has shares. Some owners have the majority of shares, and those with just a few, while others do not have any. You invested in this government and you must reap. You sowed, tilled, put manure, and irrigated, and now it is time to reap,” Rigathi said at a function in Kericho county. 

But Rigathi later apologized saying “If our brothers from regions that didn’t support the President and myself in the same way that Rift Valley and Mt. Kenya did felt uncomfortable with our expressions of appreciation, I ask for your forgiveness.

“We didn’t mean any harm. If we offended you in the process, please find it in your heart to forgive me,” 

Rigathi has maintained he was in the government to stay and nobody could edge him out of the regime.

“I fought for this government. I am inside the government. There is no way I can move an inch. Those the president has brought they are welcome, Even if there was an attempt and there is none, it cannot work” he said.

Currently, Rigathi is fighting for his political survival in the Court after he was impeached and has a date with the Director of Criminal Investigation over remarks he made after his discharge from the hospital.

The ghosts of truth have finally built their apartments in Rigathi’s stead and he has to contend with the unfolding political moment. Will truth save him?

By Anderson Ojwang 

On June 3rd, 2006, at Eldoret Sports Club, leaders led by then-Orange leader Raila Odinga converged at the ground to mark a historical moment. 

Among those present were the Luo Council of Elders, led by the then chairman, the late Ker Riaga Ogalo, elders from the Kalenjin community, and former vice President Musalia Mudavadi.

Raila after leading a successful campaign for the proponent of the No against the draft constitutional amendment, had another battle of a lifetime to fulfill. 

This time, it was the battle for his new ally and student, then Eldoret North MP William Samoei Ruto. The new political kid on the block.

Ruto then Kanu Secretary General was the emerging political leader from Rift Valley after the party’s candidate  Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta was vanquished in the 2022 presidential contest by Narc candidate Mwai Kibaki.

With Kanu debeaked and never crowing again, the political future for the Valley looked bleak after 24 years of power. 

The Valley was in a somber mood. Panic and anxiety were the hallmarks of the once beaming and cheerful Valley.

While Kanu was in a free fall, Ruto became embroiled in a political battle with immediate former President Daniel Arap Moi over the leadership of the Kalenjin community. 

In the instructions and political mechanization of Raila,  Eldoret sports club became the venue where Ruto was installed as a Kalenjin elder and subsequently became the community leader. 

At the installation, Raila told the mammoth crowd that Ruto had come of age and it was time he took over the leadership of the community. 

Enraged Moi, dismissed the installation and instead asked the Kalenjin community to listen and follow former powerful cabinet minister the late Nicholas Biwott and former minister Henry Kosgey. 

But Ruto, the star was rising and he soon assumed the community leadership, which has remained firmly in his grip to date.

Sixteen years later and for the second time, Raila once again came to Ruto’s political rescue after he was faced with a battle of survival from Gen Zee over the Finance Bill and his immediate former Deputy, Rigathi Cachagua. 

This time, Raila marshaled his troops both at the national assembly and at the Senate to ensure the impeachment motion against the deputy president succeeded.

The motion by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Matuse got a majority support of 281 votes to proceed to the Senate.

Mutuse preferred 11 charges upon which MPs voted to send Rigathi home and the Senate also confirmed the impeachment, leaving the former  Deputy president as the first officeholder to be impeached.

At the Senate, Raila’s top ally Siaya governor James Orengo led the counsel team for the assembly despite earlier protests from allies of the Deputy President.

Also on the team was Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo, both Orengo and Otiende have been key in the prosecution of Raila’s presidential cases at the Supreme Court.

Raila’s ODM broke ranks with their colleagues on the Azimio coalition to form a broad-based government and also to support the impeachment motion of the deputy president.

In the broad-based government, top ODM leaders John Mbadi, Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, and Opiyo Wandayi were all appointed to the cabinet

And on Thursday night, Raila delivered a second victory to President Ruto, who will now have a new deputy president and has successfully guillotined his ally turned foe.

According to former Nyakach MP, Pollyns Ochieng Raila has a soft spot for President Ruto and will always come to his rescue whenever he is faced with political battles.

He argues that for Raila, President Ruto remains the prodigal son and that is why despite their previous fallout, they have always come together for a common political course.

” For Raila, Ruto is his student and just like a teacher, he protects his student from adversaries even if he has come of age. Teachers always want the best for their students and are often very protective of them ” he says 

Ochieng says through Raila, Ruto was able to assume the Kalenjin community leadership mantle and currently, he has enabled Ruto to wrestle down his main political nightmare in the Kenya kwanza coalition government.

He says Ruto and Raila could have a bond that is hard to break even if they have had political differences in the past

Kisumu-based advocate and Analyst Joshua Nyamori says Raila often says there are no permanent friends and enemies in politics and this has come to pass after he came in for President Ruto at hos lowest moment.

Nyamori says for the interest of the nation, the decision for the two leaders to work together was calming and gave hope to Kenyans to engage in their daily activities.

“Kenyans wanted peace and the decision by Raila to work with the President is a welcome and a milestone. This is a step in the right direction,” he says.