Will Rigathi Gachagua be Mt Kenya's next kingpin?

Kenya Kwanza presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua. [Mose Sammy, Standard] 

In Mathira constituency, Rigathi Gachagua, the Kenya Kwanza presidential running mate wields outsized influence.

In five out of the six wards, MCAs have aligned themselves with Gachagua and watch their steps not to antagonise him lest he unleashes his political might and they are punished by voters.

Only Magutu Ward Representative Wanjira Wamabati has gone against the grain. The MP could not convince her in 2017 to join Jubilee Party and this time around, she has resisted the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) euphoria and will be defending her seat on The Service Party of Kenya (TSP) ticket.

All the other MCAs who were elected on a Jubilee ticket have joined UDA and secured tickets to defend their seats.

Despite being a first-term MP, Gachagua has amassed so much influence that he played a major role in organising Nyeri politics.

He started by appointing his longtime ally and Mathira NG-CDF official Wahome Matinga to be the county’s UDA coordinator who later declared interest in the Nyeri governor seat.

Pundits argue that this was Gachagua’s strategy to win Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga to UDA by planting an opponent.

“Prior to Matinga’s governor seat ambitions, Gachagua had been courting the governor to join UDA and threatened that if he did not join the party, they would mount an intensive campaign against him,” a source within Gachagua’s inner circle said.

Kahiga gave in and that is how Matinga’s ambitions ended. He was given a direct senatorial ticket.

This was at the height of a strategy by Ruto to woo sitting governors who are perceived too hard to unseat.

Gachagua single-handedly adopted Kieni and Nyeri Town constituencies and was in charge of planning and mobilisation ahead of Ruto visits because the local MPs are Ruto’s harshest critics.

The two MPs had made it difficult for Ruto to penetrate their constituencies but Gachagua used his networks and mobilisation strategy to counter the opposition.

In his rallies in both Nyeri Town and Kieni constituencies, he kept telling residents that he was in charge and asked them to vote out Kanini Kega (Kieni MP) and Ngunjiri Wambugu in the August 9 polls.

“You must vote them out and give us those who are politically correct and those who are on the side that is keen on reviving the economy of our region lest you continue suffering,” Gachagua told the electorate during a rally in Nyeri Town.

Inherit kingship

This earned him the mandate to oversee Ruto’s Mt Kenya campaigns, which eventually propelled him to the deputy presidential nominee post. Political pundits argue that Gachagua has quickly acquired the role of Ruto’s Mr Fix it in Mt Kenya and that by 2027, he will be so powerful that he will dictate who vies for what seat.

George Theuri, a Nyeri politician, said Gachagua could use his position, if Kenya Kwanza clinches the presidency, to inherit the kingship from President Uhuru Kenyatta to influence the region’s politics.

“He will be so powerful and will revive the memories of past administration when school children and the community adored an influential leader from their community. I foresee a scenario where Gachagua, as deputy president, would be visiting a school and all the activities are brought to a halt with leaders heaping praises on him to earn his support,” Theuri said.

Gachagua, Theuri said, was the kind of politician who could openly dictate to people to vote for the person of his choice and urge them to reject others with convincing reasons.

During the burial of his step brother James Reraini at Hiriga village, he openly told residents to reject Kenya Kwanza affiliated candidates and vote for UDA party only.

“I hear there are murmurs that you don’t want our UDA candidate Erastus Karanja; you must vote for him for my sake. We don’t want patches. I will also direct you on who to vote for to succeed me now that I have been picked by Ruto,” he said.

Other pundits believe the abrasiveness of Gachagua was the main reason of disquiet in Kenya Kwanza and the core reason some leaders had fronted Kindiki.

“If you cross Gachagua’s path, you will be committing political suicide,” James Nderitu said.

Isaac Theuri, a political analyst, said the decisiveness of Gachagua will restore order in Mt Kenya and will make him the de facto kingpin.

“Currently, there doesn’t seem to be ordered in the region and this will be sorted out by Gachagua. Sometimes, administrators are not liked but their performance is the best,” said Theuri.

Kariithi Wambui, a Mathira youth leader, said by 2027, Gachagua will lead Mt Kenya region on the political way forward since he will have broadened his political base.

“He has been calling the shots in Nyeri County but by 2027, he will be dictating the way forward in all the elective positions in Mt Kenya region. Due to his political prowess, Gachagua will have won all the hearts of Mt Kenya region,” said Wambui.

This comes as Gachagua is set to play a decisive role in the picking of his replacement to fly the UDA flag in Mathira.

According to UDA Secretary-General Veronicah Maina, the party has opened a window for applicants to fly the party flag after it successfully applied to revise its nominee in the constituency.

The party had handed a direct ticket to Gachagua during party primaries after the post failed to attract other contenders.

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