By Anderson Ojwang
How much do you think the Wamunyoro 60 days of conclave could have cost the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to host the endless delegations?
Again, who could have funded the expensive high-end hotel menu at Wamunyoro?
Wait a minute, the mind-boggling 60-day expenses could have overstretched to an excess of Sh 100 million.
Interestingly, not even a penny came from the pocket of the party leader of the Democracy for Citizens party (DCP), but from the delegations.
Gachagua made history by the number of cows, goats, sheep and chickens that have been slaughtered at Wamunyoro, the slaughterhouse.
Eight hundred cattle and 3,000 sheep and goats slaughtered in 60 days – and what could be the market value? In Mt Kenya, a cow ranges between Sh 80,000 and 150,000. If we go by the lowest price of Sh 80,000, that total comes to Sh 64 million.
A sheep and goat goes for between Sh 12,000 and Sh 25,000, and if we go by the lowest cost, it comes to Sh 36 million. That means the two expenses have reached the Sh 100 million mark.
If you factor in other expenses, the cost goes above and beyond Sh 100 million and could be heading to a mind-blowing figure.
“The food that is eaten in this home is brought by the community. After I came to Wamunyoro for the last 50 days, we have slaughtered over 800 cows, goats over 3,000 and sheep,” Gachagua said.
He said the delegations have been bringing bananas, rice and assortments of foodstuffs.
“I am really enjoying myself. For a long time, I am not spending money. Whatever happened to me, it was a blessing in disguise,” he said.
When Money Calls
Gachagua’s 60 days of conclave has been of good tiding. He has not only used his money but also received money from the various delegations.
Gachagua no longer spends his money on food and other activities.
“I used to spend a lot of money. For the first time, I spend no money. All the food eaten in this home is brought by the various delegations,” he said.
For the first time, during the visit by a delegation from the Wiper party, Gachagua opened up to say that his impeachment was a blessing in disguise and that he was the happiest person.
“The delegations also bring me money. I am really enjoying myself. Even the conclave was supposed to end in 45 days but I added more days. I wanted to add more days but I cannot do that any longer. I need to wind up the conclave,” he said.
While welcoming the Wiper delegation, he said: “Welcome, I am told you have brought goats. I am happy you have known the procedure. If you have money, I will receive.”
Breaking Cola with Neighbours
Gachagua had a dilemma on whether to extend or end the conclave and settled on the latter. And tomorrow he will end the conclave and decided to invite his neighbours for a bite of the plenty.
“Ahead of the closure of Wamunyoro consultative conclave on Monday 24th August 2026, today morning I hosted thousands of my neighbours to share a meal and thanksgiving.
“I took my neighbours through the deliberations that I have had with leaders and opinion shapers for the last 55 days. My neighbours also gave me incisive input on the liberation journey to the liberation of our nation, Kenya.
“I thanked my neighbours for helping me host my visitors, allowing my visitors to use their compounds as parking, keeping the residence clean, helping Rev. Dorcas in preparation of meals, showing visitors the route to Wamunyoro, and our young men for providing 24-hour security around the compound.
“I remain forever grateful to my neighbours for their love and loyalty,” he wrote.
From a once quiet and sleepy Wamunyoro, it is today awake, teeming, bursting and speaking loudly and boldly.
Extinct to Active Volcano
Guillotined by the National Assembly and the Senate, Gachagua was expected to be politically extinct, not even dormant.
Just when many thought Gachagua was done, buried and dusted, Wamunyoro is active and bursting – an every-market-day in Wamunyoro.
Wamunyoro has become the destination for Mt Kenya. Currently, Wamunyoro is a beehive and a cocktail of activities.
The king of shareholders’ stock crumbled at the national market, auctioned by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the vehicle he rode on to the second most powerful seat in the country, and was left for the dustbin.
But Gachagua went back home, left the leafy Karen’s Deputy President residence for Wamunyoro.
Instead of lying and waiting for fate to take its course, Gachagua faced Mt Kenya to plead with his ancestors, Mumbi, and began climbing the Mountain.
Success
The conclave produced major success: the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election victory by DCP by an overwhelming 86 percent of votes against UDA’s 13 percent.
Mass defections from UDA to DCP, including Murang’a Governor Irungu Kangata, among others.
