Gachagua was thrown under the bus after failing to read the writing on the wall

President William Ruto and former Deputy Rigathi Gachagua confer during National Breakfast Prayer meeting at Safari Park in Nairobi on June 07,2023. [File, Standard]

“If one fails to understand those dynamics, he finds himself in collision with his boss,” Lotodo said.

The former assistant minister added that Gachagua’s persistent attacks on Ruto’s administration had forced the President to seek new political allies to steer the country and deliver on his agenda.

“The DP focused on his Mt Kenya agenda at a time when the President was casting his net wider across the country to create hegemony and cohesion. This alienated him from the President and his allies,” Lotodo opined.

Lotodo added that the DP dented his image as a national leader “when he became obsessed with the issues of Mt Kenya region at the expense of the welfare of the general Kenyan populace.”

“In politics, one needs to constantly review the situation to remain relevant and fashionable. You cannot ascend on the tribal podium and expect to receive the support of Kenyans across the country,” Lotondo said.

He argues that the country’s political landscape is rapidly changing due to a multiplicity of factors, “including the changing demographic patterns, the effects of social media, and the presence of well-educated young people across the country. So a leader should be careful with his words.”

Political analyst Andrew Nyabuto says Gachagua rapidly rose to the position of influence in UDA in the run-up to the 2022 general election due to his capacity to galvanize the anti-Uhuru Kenyatta sentiments in the Mt Kenya region.

The analyst says by fighting Kenyatta and his allies in the Mt Kenya region, the DP isolated himself making him vulnerable to cannibalisation by forces outside the region.

“The DP, who is a bully, also cut himself from elected leaders from Mt Kenya region whom he demanded that they obey him and submit themselves to him,” Nyabuto argues.

He adds that President Ruto “skillfully used a cabal of elected leaders from Mt Kenya region to contain the DP’s political ambitions and also cut him to size. It is leaders in Mt Kenya region who have been used to bring him down.”

Nyabuto says Gachagua, who had deep pockets compared to his allies in the UDA party in Mt Kenya, managed to mobilize the grassroots people in their opposition to Uhuru Kenyatta.

“But upon assuming office, he assumed that he was a co-president putting him into a collision path with his boss, President William Ruto,” Nyabuto added.

The political analyst says whereas Gachagua assumed a state office, he confined himself to a crusader for Mt Kenya interests hence depicting himself as a tribal chieftain.

“He descended from the high office of the Deputy President and turned himself to an agitator for ethnic-based political and economic interests, falling prey to cannibalisation by forces within UDA which had already enlisted the support of ODM,” Nyabuto said, adding that even when it was apparent that he was falling out of favour with his boss, Gachagua failed to read the signs of the times and continued on his warpath.

“In his book, The Art of War, famous Chinese military strategist General Tsu cautioned that war should be avoided with diplomacy. General Tsu said that one should carefully examine the situation before engaging in war.”