By Anderson Ojwang

Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa has described former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua as the latter heads to the constituency for a political engagement.

Ichung’wa, the Assembly Majority Leader and President William Ruto’s blue-eyed boy in Mt Kenya, will today, this Saturday, play host to a strange visitor, a political foe.

Kikuyu constituency will act as the battleground for a superiority contest between Ichung’wa and the self-declared king of the mountain, Gachagua.

Both leaders are breathing fire and ready for a showdown, with Gachagua warning Ichung’wa that tomorrow (today) he will be in Kikuyu.

“Tomorrow we will be in Kikuyu. Kasongo has allegedly given Ichung’wa money to cause chaos. We will not be cowed,” he vowed.

Gachagua picked a tirade with Ichung’wa from Nyandarua during the burial of the Ol Kalou MP, where he accused the Majority Leader of misleading the president and being responsible for the fallout.

He first wrote to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, alleging planned disruption of his rally in Kikuyu town by goons.

But Ichung’wa did not take it lying down either; he also wrote to the Inspector General of Police, Kanja, over what he termed as violent campaigns by Gachagua.

“The people of Kikuyu deserve adequate police protection. You should therefore ensure sufficient security presence to protect residents, their property, and businesses, and not fall into Gachagua’s trap of choreographed violence and destruction,” he wrote.

He accused the former DP of profiling security officers in the area and said his remarks were meant to cause chaos.

Separately in an interview, he referred to Gachagua as a bully who wants his way in everything, noting that the outburst of the outspoken Democracy for Citizens leader during the burial of former Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho shows that he is not fit for leadership.

“Gachagua is just a bully who believes he can bludgeon everyone into submission. He, however, knows my steel and imagines that if he manages to cow me, being the senior most MP from Mt. Kenya region and with a strong development record and a strong constituency support base, all the others will cower and follow him,” said Ichung’wa.

Ichung’wa said Gachagua’s hope is that if he succeeds in his intimidations, he would then have the numbers to further intimidate and blackmail President William Ruto.

“This is characteristic of his blackmailing tendencies, the same blackmail that ejected him from office,” added Ichung’wa.

Of all the leaders supporting Ruto’s reelection, it is Ichung’wa who seems to be irking Gachagua the most.

On Wednesday, Gachagua berated Ichung’wa as Ruto watched during the tense moment at the requiem mass of the late Ol Kalou MP. The enraged Gachagua spoke directly and without hesitation.

He reminded the president of past advice and blamed some of his current allies for political troubles in the Mt. Kenya region. He singled out Ichung’wa in remarks that quickly shifted the mood from mourning to open political contest.

“Nilikuambia kabla hatujakosana. Nilikuambia. Nikakuambia hawa vijana unatembea na hawa, watakuweka kwa shimo. Hawa kina Ichung’wa nilikuambia watakuweka kwa shimo,” Gachagua said.

He stood a few metres from Ruto as he spoke, marking their first time on the same platform since his exit from office. Gachagua went further and warned the president about the political cost of ignoring his earlier advice.

“Mimi nilikushauri rais nikakuambia hawa watu wa mlima hawapendi usaliti. I told you that betrayal is not forgiven among our people. You chose to listen to Kimani Ichung’wa. Sasa hii jamii imekukataa,” he added.

“Sasa huyu Ichung’wa alikuambia Riggy G atasahaulika baada ya wiki mbili, sasa ni miaka ngapi? Mr President, nakuomba ndugu yangu, you are my brother, tafadhali, tafuta amani na hii jamii. Tafuta amani na hii jamii. Usiskize hawa watoto.”

Ichung’wa in turn on Wednesday in Parliament led MPs in condemning Gachagua over his remarks, with legislators now calling for tougher laws against politicians who spread hate, especially during funerals.

“What I heard yesterday was outright tribal bigotry, someone pretending to speak on behalf of the President,” Ichung’wa stated.

Ichung’wa downplayed concerns over Gachagua’s planned visit to Kikuyu, saying all leaders are welcome, but warning against incitement.

“He says he’s coming to Kikuyu this Saturday, and we welcome everyone. What we reject is ferrying goons to loot businesses,” he noted.

Speaking in Laikipia, Gachagua stood by his remarks, insisting they were justified. He, however, expressed doubt that his complaints against Ichung’wa would be acted upon by the President.

“I lodged a complaint against Ichung’wa yesterday, but it felt pointless. I later asked myself, was I wasting my time?” Gachagua posed.

The battle of the mountain is shaping up as Gachagua versus Ichung’wa, with the latter playing the lead role in campaigning for President Ruto.

By Anderson Ojwang’

On Wednesday, the country’s leading political blocks, Nyanza and Mt Kenya, displayed two sets of politics: maturity and immaturity.

In Nyandarua, they hosted President William Ruto for a burial of the Ol Kalou MP. After weeks of warring and public abuse between President Ruto and his impeached deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, they finally met for the first time after the impeachment.

Ahead of the meeting, the political atmosphere was tense, with the media predicting a possible confrontation at the burial. President Ruto was accompanied by his political troops, while Rigathi, the self-declared king of the Mountain, also mobilized and was accompanied by his lieutenants and arrived at the venue ready for a showdown, which turned out to be a melodrama.

In Nyandarua, Mt Kenya raised the bar high when the expected political showdown between President Ruto and Gachagua was turned into melodrama.

While in Kisumu, out of the blue, the region sunk to its lowest when political goons attacked Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi over his political affiliation and left him admitted at the hospital with serious injuries.

The attack put Kisumu in the spotlight over the emergence and increasing number of political gangs in the region ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kisumu, which had shed off the bad image of political violence and thuggery, is fast sliding back to the old habit of political goons and intolerance that had negated investment in the region.

In Nyandarua, Gachagua relayed and read out a riot act to the residents to respect President Ruto, and his usual slogan of “one term” was vetoed.

Apart from lamentations and crying foul over his impeachment, the audience remained calm with no shouting or any form of disturbance.

Gachagua laughed off earlier predictions by the media that the burial would be confrontational.

Even in the program that went viral on social media and had no mention of the opposition, Gachagua and his team were still accommodated and provided with space and time to speak.

Gachagua warned the mourners and the residents that President Ruto deserves respect and that he doesn’t want to hear any shouts of “Ruto must go.”

“Today is a solemn moment. I want the president to speak and you give him respect. I don’t want to hear anyone shouting ‘one term,'” he said.

He said Mt Kenya loved and respected Ruto but he betrayed them, and that will be sorted out at the 2027 general elections.

“Ruto has come in good faith. Let us respect him. Let him speak and go,” he said.

Gachagua then turned to lamentation, accusing President Ruto of chasing him from his office to Wamunyoro.

“You chased me, and I went to Wamunyoro. We are listening to the ground, and we will sort our differences at the ballot,” he said.

Gachagua went ahead to introduce his team of sitting MPs, senators, MCAs and aspirants allied to him and joined a hymn after he concluded the introduction.

In Kisumu, with no provocation, goons attacked Osotsi at Java Restaurant and left him with serious injuries over his political affiliation, which is opposed to President Ruto’s two-term bid.

In a statement by his director of communication, Mr Derick Luvega, the Senator had made a routine visit to the Acacia area for personal grooming (to take a shave) before proceeding to Java Restaurant.

“At the restaurant he met a friend and interacted cordially with members of the public for approximately thirty minutes. It was during this time that a group of gun-wielding individuals confronted him, questioning his political stance and subsequently subjecting him to physical manhandling. They demanded to know why he is supporting one-term and not two-term,” he said.

The Senator is a principal in the ODM faction of Linda Mwananchi, which is against the pre-election coalition arrangement between ODM and UDA.

Osotsi was recently sacked as the ODM deputy party leader during the Special Delegates Conference, which confirmed Dr Oburu Oginga as the party leader, Governor Simba Arati and his Mombasa counterpart Abdulsamad Nassir as deputy party leaders, while Homa Bay’s Gladys Wanga was confirmed as the National Chairperson.

Siaya Governor James Orengo, a member of the faction, termed the incident as unfortunate and blamed the government for the attack.

“This political attack is happening to him in Kisumu for a second time. The police know what is happening, and the police are being used in Kisumu,” he said.

Orengo said during their rally in Kakamega, the Kisumu airport was surrounded by goons to deny them entry into town.

“This is making Kisumu a small port of thugs. Thugs and goons run the city, and it is happening in broad daylight,” he said.

Orengo said the incident was giving Kisumu a bad name and immature politics in the region.

“We are creating immature and primitive politics in this part of the country. It has never happened like this that goons control politics,” he said.

ODM Vice Chairman Dr Otiende Amolo expressed disappointment over the alleged attack on the Senator.

“This act of cowardice, political intolerance and goonism must be condemned and stamped out. If we don’t, 2027 might be ominous,” he wrote on his social media handle.

Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr Mathews Owili condemned the incident, saying the county leadership encourages democracy and divergent views.

“Kisumu County will not tolerate any form of political violence, intimidation, or criminal activities within its jurisdiction. Those who imagine that they can undermine peace and stability through acts of brutality are gravely mistaken,” he said.

By Anderson Ojwang

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, for the first time after his impeachment, shared a platform with his former boss President William Ruto at a burial in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, and sent a conflicting and mixed signal.

Gachagua told President Ruto there was a possibility they could work together in future because he, Gachagua, was an old man.

“When you go to Luo land, don’t abuse us as tribalists. We can still work with you. I am an old man,” he said.

Gachagua said the Mt Kenya community supported and voted for President Ruto and that he should look for peace with the community.

“Look for peace with the Mt Kenya community. We did not vote for you because you were called Njoroge or Kamau but Kipchirchir arap Ruto out of love. You have 14 months to work for the region and seek peace,” he said.

But Ruto responded that he is aware that he was voted for by Mt Kenya and that he knows what he is doing.

“Do not bring me your wars with other people. I don’t ask permission to go anywhere in this country. I will go to any place I want, and I don’t ask for permission,” he said.

He told the people of Mt Kenya not to be blackmailed and not to worship a fellow human being.

“I will answer my opponents through development. At the moment, I am still working for Kenyans. When the time for campaigns comes, I will show them dust,” he said.

He said the media had speculated that the burial would be confrontational.

Gachagua warned the mourners and the residents that President Ruto deserves respect and that he doesn’t want to hear any shouts of “Ruto must go.”

“Today is a solemn moment. I want the president to speak and you give him respect. I don’t want to hear anyone shouting ‘one term,'” he said.

He said Mt Kenya loved and respected Ruto but he betrayed them, and that will be sorted out at the 2027 general elections.

“Ruto has come in good faith. Let us respect him. Let him speak and go,” he said.

Gachagua then turned to lamentation, accusing President Ruto of chasing him from his office to Wamunyoro.

“You chased me, and I went to Wamunyoro. We are listening to the ground, and we will sort our differences at the ballot,” he said.

Gachagua told President Ruto that before he was impeached and when they still worked together, he had warned him that his political mentees from Mt Kenya would lead him into a pit.

“I warned you these boys would lead you to the pit. In my community, we don’t forgive betrayal. You betrayed them and me,” he said.

He said the Mt Kenya community has rejected him because of betrayal and he will not get their votes.

Recently Ruto and Gachagua had engaged in a bare-knuckle fight of body shaming and public abuses.

In a recent burial in Kirinyaga, Gachagua apologized to former president Uhuru Kenyatta and Mt Kenya for misleading them to vote for Ruto.

Gachagua dismissed allegations that he cannot work with former president Uhuru, terming them as wishful thinking.

“They say Uhuru cannot work with Riggy. You think you are one of us. You don’t know us. We are a family, and Uhuru is my elder brother,” he said.

Gachagua said he diligently served Uhuru as a personal assistant and highly respects him.

“I have been Uhuru’s personal assistant. I have worked with him for 20 years. We only differed for three years,” he said.

Gachagua said it was President William Ruto who sowed a seed of division between Uhuru and him and that now they have reconciled and remain as a family.

“It is you who divided us. You came with a bible and conned us. I blame myself. I misled my people. I want to tell our people that we must be very smart not to allow Ruto to divide us along Mt Kenya East and West. I cannot allow him. Kikuyu and Meru are one community,” he said.

Gachagua said the Mt Kenya community cannot make the mistake of 1992, when former president Daniel Moi divided the two leading leaders, the late Mwai Kibaki of the Democratic Party and the late Kenneth Matiba of Ford-Asili, and they lost in the presidential election.