Gachagua race to State House

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said he is firmly in the race to become the next president should his opposition counterparts deem him fit to be the best candidate to unseat the incumbent William Ruto in 2027.

Gachagua said he will launch his much-awaited party in the course of this week and insisted that it will not only comprise leaders from different regions in the country but will also field candidates for all elective positions.

He made the remarks as he once again apologised to Kenyans for asking them to vote for President Ruto in the 2022 elections, saying that he did not know him well and would be careful going forward.

Gachagua said his opposition team mates, including former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as well as Wiper Party, Democratic Action Party of Kenya and People’s Liberation Party leaders Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa and Martha Karua respectively, have presidential ambitions but will support the person they all agree on.

“All of us have sat and agreed that the country will not move forward if Ruto continues being President for another term. The most urgent duty in this country is the removal of Ruto as President, that is the very first agenda of this country,” he said in an interview with Egesa FM yesterday morning.

“I am in the presidential race just like my counterparts; all of us are vying. How can the team agree with me if I am not vying? I must be in the contest," said Gachagua.

"At the right time, we will sit and agree who becomes what, but the most important thing is to sort out the problem at hand and get a brand-new government, that is our motivation. Our resolve is so huge that we cannot disagree,” said Gachagua.

For Ruto to leave, Gachagua said the opposition requires one candidate and so far, they are in agreement that the president will win for a second term should they decide to vie independently.

He said that they have vowed to find a formula to pick one candidate, dismissing critics who have been accusing them of not having a plan to defeat the President in the next elections.

The former DP has also insisted that he is not revealing ills of Government only because he was impeached, saying he had been pointing out issues he did not agree with, citing the Finance Bill 2024, which he was opposed to from the beginning.

“I, Gachagua, have agreed that if I am not picked, I will fully support the person we agree on. Matiang’i has also said that if he is not picked to be the flag bearer, he will support the person picked. So is the case for Kalonzo, Wamalwa, and Karua,” he said.

He regretted that Ruto and allies are determined to see the opposition team disintegrate, but also said that they are also working hard to stick together because all the leaders in the team are patriotic and have agreed not to allow selfish interests to override those of the nation.

“The national interests are that for this country to move forward, Ruto must be a one-term President so that we can get a chance to find a leader who puts national interests above personal interests. Ruto has put commercial interests ahead of national interest,” said Gachagua.

“I want to assure you that if this team disagrees, it will not be because of me. I’m ready to support the person we agree on because my votes are many and are the same that made Ruto the President, so whoever we agree on, we will make him president.”

The former President has also urged the Gusii community to also consider having a party that will give them better bargaining power in the next elections and urged them to rally behind Matiang’i to give him a better chance to be the flagbearer.

He said this is important so that they cannot be used and damped, citing his situation with the President, as he alleged that Ruto ‘used him and the community and they are not happy', but will pay back when the time comes, during the General Election.

“We are happy that among our new friends are the Kisii, and once Matiang’i comes back to the country, we will visit the region," he said

Gachagua also accused Ruto of vested interests alleging that he diverts a huge chunk of government money to use it for political purposes, majorly hidden in security agencies’ budget.

igithinji@standardmedia.co.ke