That Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has fallen out with boss President Ruto is in no doubt, the big question is will the grand plan to isolate the smooth talking Riggy G backfire? Many pundits say it is too late in the day to isolate the self-styled truthful man.
The announcement by a group of 48 MPs from Mt Kenya region that they have endorsed Interior Security Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki as their spokesman and the region’s kingpin was the final confirmation that President Ruto has dumped his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
The endorsement came hot on the heels of yet another endorsement by MPs claiming to be from Mt Kenya East (Embu, Tharaka, Mbeere and Meru) who said their spokesman was Prof Kindiki.
In a short three days DP Rigathi Gachagua has seen his political fortunes tumble and tumble to a point where only a handful of MPs from the region are still with him.
And as the self-styled Mt Kenya kingpin was getting a political beating from the mountain, he was having it rough in the City, where Nairobi City County government officials evicted hawkers from the roads around Marikiti Market and the Haileselassie Avenue.
The eviction resulted into running battles between hawkers and the county askaris which escalated to a terse exchange between Governor Sakaja and DP Gachagua.
Gachagua posted a message on his social media page urging for dialogue between the hawkers and the governor calling Sakaja his younger brother to which the governor reminded the DP that he had his number in a terse statement.
It is promising to be a dramatic and long week for DP Gachagua who prides himself to reading the mood on the ground and who recently in a jibe appeared directed to his boss said he has realized that he has been walking with liars.
The latest development has rekindled fears that the impeachment process against Rigathi that was called off by President Ruto after realizing that Rigathi had become increasingly popular on the ground, may now be brought back.
While few MPs wanted to be associated with the motion for fear of political backlash, the MPs who addressed the press conference to endorse Prof Kindiki appeared more emboldened than the past and ready for a political fight with Rigathi.
While Rigathi is yet to respond directly to the latest announcement his political protege’ and advisor and former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu said that the MPs who addressed them press conference had signed off their political careers.
He said the ground was firmly with Riggy G and reminded them during President Uhuru’s last term when he organised a similar press conference where despite warning that they were essentially signing of their political careers, it turned out to be true when all the MPs in the press conference lost their seats in 2022 general elections.
Former Gatundu North MP Wanjiku Kibe confirmed that he was in that meeting that was organised by Ngunjiri and was among those who lost their seats despite their good track record on development and legislation.
Pundits however see the latest attempt to isolate Gachagua is a feeble attempt that is bound to fail because he has already entrenched himself in Mt Kenya.
“Too late. DP Gachagua has already entrenched his roots in Mt Kenya just the was Ruto had already entrenched his roots by the time President Uhuru was waking up. Fighting him also earns him sympathy in the region,” said a political observer.
Others said that previous attempts to use Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro to fight Gachagua failed miserably and hurt Ndindi’s political fortune making him to return to his constituency to consolidate dwindling support.
The efforts by Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa to fight Gachagua have also backfired, and observers are keenly watching to see how Prof Kindiki will handle the assignment.
