Gachagua's nightmare: After a season of chest-thumping reality dawns as Raila and Ruto mingle

Gachagua's fears in March last year were triggered by a ceasefire that was declared by Raila after weeks of violent street protests during which he almost managed to make the country ungovernable over what he called a stolen election.

The Deputy President was aware that Raila has always eclipsed the Vice and Deputy Presidents, and was apprehensive and dismissive of the National Dialogue talks. He at one time suggested to the government representatives to abandon the talks describing talks as 'waste of time'.

"Nothing will come out of those talks. It is a waste of time. I'm telling you as Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya. Raila wanted us to give a share of the government and a handshake, but we refused that. He asked for three positions for ambassador, and we refused," Gachagua said on August 23 when he attended the burial of Mwala MP Vincent 'Kawaya' Musyoka's mother, Anne Musau.

On March 19, while speaking during an interdenominational church service at the Kapsabet showground in Nandi, Gachagua said he would not allow Raila to have the advantage and shake hands with the president, saying that he will be the one to blame if it happened.

President William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah and his Senate counterpart Aaron Cheruiyot arrive for the joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group Consultative Meeting in Naivasha, Nakuru County on February 19, 2024. [PCS, Standard]

Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, who had claimed two months ago, that the Nadco report was a precursor to handshake said she had been vindicated and claimed Gachagua would be a victim as he did not have a party on his own.

"From the onset, I had a feeling that the President would at some point alienate us. There have also been tactics of scattering them and fighting them and this can be attested in the Mt Kenya region counties that are embroiled in the fights from Nakuru, Kiambu and Meru counties," Wamuchomba added.

However, MPs George Koimburi (Juja) Sabina Chege (Nominated) and political analyst Pius Kinuthia separately observed that the cooperation between Raila and Ruto will be different as he will relocate in Addis Ababa should his bid be successful.

"Raila will be out of Kenya if he succeeds to be the next AUC chairperson. He will not be here to infiltrate local politics and that is how Gachagua will not be affected like his predecessors, and there is no cause for alarm because Gachagua is well briefed unlike in the past cases," Koimburi told The Standard.

On his part, Kinuthia said it was important to contextualise the relationship between Raila and Ruto and Ruto and Gachagua saying having been a victim Ruto may not go the Uhuru route.

"President Ruto is a gentleman and he has repeatedly said he would never subject his Deputy to the humiliation he was subjected to by former President Uhuru Kenyatta and that was the basis of the Mt Kenya region support to him," Kinuthia noted.

Chege noted "History might not repeat itself this time round because of Raila's advanced age and the fact that should he succeed he will retire a Pan African who will not engage himself in the local politics. We are however in interesting times but we must give it to Ruto that he is coming out as a master of politics surpassing the late Moi."

However, Raila, while addressing the Homabay residents dismissed claims that his bid for AUC would see him abandon local politics.

"Let me respond to some issues being raised. I'm not going anywhere, I am around. I have been running around trying to look for support from different Heads of States. I went to meet the President of Uganda to ask for support," he said.