Riggy G: Raila Odinga will be president if he joins us

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during an Interview with KTN at his Karen Residence on February,24,2025.[Benard Orwongo,Standard] For a man who boasts having time on his side - "two years to mount a political strategy" - former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua carries some sense of urgency, almost desperation. He wants to get things done. And fast. He says he is freer and sleeps better since he was impeached last October. Despite what he may say, the former DP appears ensnared by a plan to punish President William Ruto for "orchestrating his impeachment", as he would say during a Monday evening interview on KTN. His verdict on Dr Ruto's re-election chances is simple: "You are going home unless (former Prime Minister) Raila Odinga holds your hand, and even if he does, I don't think he will help you." Gachagua is keen on ring-fencing Mt Kenya, a task he asserted was "98 per cent done." He has a plan for that, which could strike many as sinister: instigate a mass resignation of Mt Kenya lawmakers. This strategy may relate to his grand scheme of locking out Dr Ruto from the area that contributed the most to their joint vote basket in 2022. A mass exodus from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) into a party that he said was "national" with its "home in the Mountain" would ensue. Ostensibly, eager to test his influence in his backyard, he relishes the chance for a duel between himself and the Head of State, one that could play out if the seemingly outlandish mini-general election plan materialises. According to him, only the recruitment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission stands in the way of the strategy that perhaps needs more feasibility studies. "Quite a number of our senators and MPs want to resign from UDA, join our new party, and go for by-elections. My people thought for us to get the right momentum, it is better to launch the party when IEBC is in place," he said. "As of today, we have about 139 MCAs who want to resign from UDA and join our party... we will force a little general election," added Gachagua, defending himself against suggestions that the move was largely selfish owing to its implications on the taxpayer. Later as we share a meal with him and his wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, he will say: "If you think democracy is expensive, try dictatorship." Gachagua promises every MP who abandons the UDA ship - a highly unlikely move - that they would not be lost at sea. "I admire Raila Odinga... who resigned and was re-elected and since then his career has been rosy. I am encouraging my MCAs, MPs and senators... any leader who makes that decision will be re-elected without a doubt and with a very serious majority. They will be heroes of our people for decades," said Gachagua. He said his party - whose "chairperson would be from Kajiado, organising secretary from Machakos, deputy party leader from Kakamega and treasurer from Kuria" - was ready. Of course, all this is aimed at sending Dr Ruto home. His impeachment, which renders him ineligible to seek elective office, does not seem to deter him. Gachagua, who says he is "least bothered" about his impeachment case is open to the possibilities that he, or a politician from Mt Kenya, could be the "king or kingmaker". "Whoever we decide to support will be the next president," a bullish Gachagua asserted. Raila is an unlikely piece in this jigsaw puzzle. His role stretches beyond providing the resignation script into a grander one Gachagua shows some conspicuous eagerness to make new friends. Basking in his new-found popularity in Mt Kenya, the self-styled "villager" believes he can make Raila president, but Raila has to want the seat. "I have heard them promise him to be prime minister. That is a lie. It is conmanship. For you to create the position of prime minister it means you have to change the structure of government. You would have to go for a referendum," he told KTN. "To be fair to Raila, I think he has risen above the position of prime minister. The man has wanted to be president five times and wanted to be the African Union Commission chairperson. I think taking him back to the position of prime minister is a bit demeaning," he added. Throughout the interview, Gachagua heaped praises on Raila, making evident his desire to work with him to oust Ruto. Gachagua recently met former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, with the trio planning to woo Raila into their budding formation. "Our first priority is that we are going to have a presidential candidate from the Mountain and we will appeal to other Kenyans to support us. If we find that it is not feasible, we will support others. Kalonzo is an option, we looked at our numbers, his numbers and other numbers and it is doable. "Raila's is even more exciting because Raila already has 6.8 million votes. We only beat him by 200,000 votes. If we agree to support him - I have looked at his voting patterns and he votes between 10 and 11am - he will be president before he votes," asserted an upbeat Gachagua. The former premier appears to favour a partnership with Ruto, but Gachagua's proposition, handing over the elusive Mt Kenya, a task too daunting even for former President Uhuru Kenyatta in the last polls, should interest Raila. And while Gachagua claims he is not bitter with Ruto, who he said is "finished" in Mt Kenya, he appears desperate to have the masses perceive Ruto in a bad light, and heaps every wrong he can think of on the Head of State. He accuses him of running down the government and prioritising personal commercial interest ahead of national interest. "One of the burdens that is heavy on me and sometimes weighs me down it's just how foolish I feel at times that I was deceived by Ruto... I believed him I never even asked that we should sign anything. I was so naive. I was so trusting." Gachagua almost swears Ruto is acting out a well-laid-out plan to rig the 2027 presidential election. Enter Chief Justice Martha Koome, currently facing an ouster petition at the Supreme Court alongside six other judges. As he claimed on Sunday in Meru, Gachagua would double down on an alleged plan to influence the next polls. "President William Ruto schemed a long time ago to remove Justice Martha Koome... because of refusing to be compromised. He shared with me and many times he even quarreled me that a daughter from the Mountain is being problematic and accused me of being unable to manage Martha Koome to do things the way he wants," said the former DP, who had a warning shot for Kenyans about a man who said wanted to replicate his capture of Parliament and the opposition in the Judiciary.

Riggy G: Raila Odinga will be president if he joins us

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