Rigathi Gachagua gets tough political lessons in doses

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on October 2, 2023. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

All is not well in the Kenya Kwanza boma. President William Ruto is on record castigating the idea of “shareholders in government,” principally championed by his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua, as “primitive and backward.”

In doing so, the President was making the case that his administration will serve all Kenyans regardless of their vote choice in the August 2022 presidential race.

Following the President’s statement, DP Gachagua defiantly maintained that core supporters of the Kenya Kwanza coalition in 2022 deserved the government’s special attention; and that he had no apologies to make for his utterances.

Assuming that the public disagreement between the president and his deputy reflects reality, it signals an important turning point in the Kenya Kwanza administration.

It is also a reminder to DP Gachagua about an important rule of politics: never outshine the boss.

Gachagua seems interested in little more than becoming the Mt Kenya political kingpin. His constant allusions to an ethnic ring-fencing of the administration gives the opportunity to position himself as the key spokesperson of one region (that he claims owns 47 per cent of the “shares” in government).

Yet as President, Mr Ruto is conflicted. He needs to pay US$ 2 billion next June, bring down the cost of living, raise taxes without strangling the ailing economy to death, and promote broad-based economic growth throughout the country.

He also has to worry about his re-election in 2027. Put simply, he cannot afford to play narrow ethnic politics in a way that would aggravate his current economic predicament.

Following in Gachagua’s anti-dynasty and pugilist style of ethnic mobilisation would likely lead to more confrontations in the streets with supporters of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Such an outcome would harm an already tottering economy.

More broadly, and like all good politicians, the president likely wants to be his own man. Only a foolish politician would leave his fate in the hands of an ambitious deputy in the habit of reminding anyone willing to listen that he is the real kingmaker.

Good political housekeeping predicts that the president was bound to break free and seek ways to control his own political destiny come 2027. Which is to say the only thing that is surprising about this apparent disagreement, is how quickly we got to this point.

-The writer is an Associate Professor at Georgetown University