Ousted but vocal: Gachagua's bold persona after impeachment

Following his ouster as the Deputy President in October 2024, Rigathi Gachagua has adopted strategies seen to have been employed by former ODM leader Raila Odinga such as solidifying his regional support and consistently shaping the national discourse.

He has also developed the knack of taking the bull by its horns in a bold and fearless approach that Raila was also known for.

Despite being the Johnny come lately, in Opposition politics, Gachagua has taken the central role of not only holding President William Ruto’s government to account but also taken control of the so-called United Opposition agenda.

He has not shied away from holding the government into account and shaping narratives in the country’s political discourse.

On Tuesday, Gachagua took on Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Ruto over the controversial Rironi – Mau Summit road contract that was cancelled in 2024, and French contractors paid Sh7 billion without carrying out any work.

The former Deputy President had in the past publicly disclosed that he admired Raila’s political resilience and ability to influence government and said he would emulate his strategic approach towards politics.

“I’m a functional leader who does not need any position to give direction to Kenyans and ensure that we have proper governance,” said Gachagua last week.

He is also trying to position his DCP party as a national outfit at a time when parties like Raila’s ODM and President Ruto’s UDA are facing serious challenges in some parts of the country.

Gachagua has made inroads in Maa and Nairobi regions while at the same time he has continued criticising Ruto’s flagship projects and policies, a move that has propelled him as a national figure, a strategy that Raila used to endear him to influence the country’s politics.

During the recent by-elections, Gachagua’s DCP bagged three Member of County Assembly (MCA) seats in Nairobi, Narok and Western region.

At the same time, Gachagua has attracted loyalists such as former Law Society of Kenya president Nelson Havi, a former critic who in 2024 described Gachagua as one of the worst leaders Kenya has had, but after joining DCP, he heaped praises for the former Deputy President.

“I’m not a fan of the former DP, nor am I an admirer of the Parliament. I did not agree with the impeachment of Gachagua, not because Gachagua is a good person. He is the worst of the leaders we have ever had,’’ Havi noted during Gachagua’s impeachment in 2024.

After joining DCP , Havi described Gachagua as a forthright and genuine people who was central to the formation of Kenya Kwanza government but was kicked out for insisting on accountability and adherence to agreed principles.

Former nominated Senator Millicent Omanga, a former Ruto ally, also ditched him for Gachagua and is now vying for Woman Representative position in Nairobi through the DCP party.

According to Herman Manyora, a political analyst, Gachagua had studied Raila’s political strategy and mastered it and ‘‘he is now almost there.”

“Like Raila, Gachagua has regional support. Raila was famous for acquiring classified information from government quarters which he used to expose the government excesses and Gachagua has followed that path,” he said.

He added: ‘Gachagua has mobilisation skills that can be equated with those of Raila’s. The man has networks which he built when he was a special District Officer and once he activates them, he is usually on another world.”

Manyora said like Raila, Gachagua’s word to his community is almost final, because he has developed a tendency of holding his allies hands which gives them a guarantee of being elected.

Jubilee Deputy Party leader Jeremiah Kioni, who was one of Gachagua’s harshest critics, has of late been singing praises of him after appreciating that he has given Kenya’s Opposition politics a new impetus.

“Gachagua has grown exponentially. His politics is top notch, in the United Opposition. The DCP party has grown as others are reduced to regional units,” said Manyora.

But it is in his Mt Kenya backyard that Gachagua has managed to create some panic among leaders who are now rushing to either align with him or join DCP.

Some of the Mt Kenya leaders who have since defected from President Ruto’s camp include East African Legislative Assembly Kanini Kega, Kandara MP Chege Njuguna, former Kenya Seed Company Chairperson Wangui Ngirici,  Governors Irungu Kangata (Muranga) and Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu) who have not yet joined DCP but insiders say they are heading there.

While explaining why he dumped Ruto, Kangata said he differed on his political strategy such as Gachagua’s attack, a move he associated with Gachagua’s meteoric rise saying Ruto’s administration was repeating the mistakes done by the Jubilee administration that led to the growth of UDA party.

 “My point of departure with Ruto is the political strategy and policy priority; how to deal with Mt Kenya and to ensure UDA retains the support. My boss and I had different points of view and we left it at that. There was no convergence of issues and strategies,’’ said Kangata.

Wamatangi, who was sponsored by the UDA party, said it is the Kiambu electorate that would advise him on the party he will use in the next year’s polls as he seeks his re-election.

 “I will stay here in Kiambu, I will not go anywhere looking for a party. You tell me which party has come and I will run on that one and we walk together because you are the ones to elect,” he said.

This week, Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru, who has been Gachagua’s harsh critic, tendered her public apology to the Mt Kenya region over Gachagua’s impeachment, an admission that the ouster has dealt the Kenya Kwanza administration a major blow.

 “I understand your pain. I am truly sorry,” Waiguru said

Last year, Waiguru dismissed Gachagua and maintained he could not threaten her political future even as she dismissed him as a tribal chauvinist but her change of tune reflects the feedback from her constituents.

According to analysts, Gachagua employed Raila’s tactics to control his region and to annihilate political rivals from his community who dared go against his directive.

“Gachagua’s style of politics shows that he will be worse than Raila and everybody who goes against him from his region will not thrive politically, this is what happened to sober leaders such as Raphael Tuju who went against the grain and opposed Raila’s leadership style,” Semeon Ogunda a political analyst noted.

Before announcing his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) on May 15 last year, Gachagua had in February commended Raila for building a strong political vehicle, a strong enduring political movement, that has remained influential for over two decades.

“Look at the political party that he built called ODM. A strong political party that though he has never been elected President he is able to get into every government and get what he wants.The legislators are top-notch lawyers. These are the people who have protected Raila Odinga for 30 years,’ he said.

He added: “The quality of leaders elected under ODM is admirable and I’ll be going to ODM for benchmarking. I must talk to Raila Odinga, ask him how did you craft this machine and how you have kept it going for 20 years?” Gachagua.