Gachagua tears at fragile unity with ‘opposition king’ stance

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua/FILE

Trouble is brewing in the United Opposition after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua declared himself the driving force of the outfit and castigated colleagues for abdication and inactivity.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview on Kameme FM, Gachagua dismissed accusations that his remarks and actions risk undermining opposition unity.

Instead, he argued that the opposition only functions when he is present and active, insisting that his silence had previously plunged it into irrelevance.

“How can I destroy the opposition when I am the opposition? When I keep quiet, the opposition is dead,” Gachagua said.

The DCP leader said he had taken a political break and intended to resume in February.

However, he claimed mounting public pressure forced him back into action after concerns that the opposition had gone mute as President William Ruto continued to “cause havoc”.

“In just five days, I have reactivated the opposition and things are already better,” Gachagua said, portraying himself as the catalyst behind renewed political mobilisation.

Projecting himself as the single-most active member of the opposition outfit, Gachagua cited his recent tour of Mt Kenya and its environs as proof of his dominance.

He noted that since leaving Mombasa, where he spent his December holiday, he has held rallies in Githurai, Engineer, Nyeri, Kagio, Githunguri and Gatundu.

He argued that no other opposition figure has matched his level of grassroots mobilisation.

“This January, who has held rallies other than Rigathi Gachagua?” he asked.

The DCP boss also recalled his US trip, saying the opposition died for the month-and-a-half he was away.

The remarks have widely been interpreted as a challenge to established opposition figures, among them, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and PLP’s Martha Karua, as well as Jubilee’s Fred Matiang’i and DAP-K’s Eugene Wamalwa.

However, leaders in the opposition disagree, saying the opposition has been active even in his absence.

Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo—a close Kalonzo ally—told the Star even when Gachagua was in the US, the opposition held a rally, among other activities.

“I was with him in Engineer and we were with other leaders, among them MP [Stephen Mule] and [Senator Agnes] Kavindu,” Maanzo said.

He added that the opposition against Ruto across the country is bigger than any singular leader.

“It is the people who are the United Opposition. I was in Northeastern—Isiolo, Moyale and Wajir—and I can tell you it is all ‘wantam’. Even in the absence of these leaders, the people have taken a stand and we are with the people,” Maanzo said, adding that even if the opposition doesn’t present a candidate, the people will get one for themselves.

In the same interview, Gachagua claimed Jubilee, which is fronting Matiang’i, was the weakest link in the opposition, claiming that some senior party officials were working with President William Ruto.

At the weekend, Gachagua also said Kalonzo has to mobilise at least four million votes to secure his backing.

While opposition leaders have repeatedly spoken of unity against the Kenya Kwanza administration, coordination in communication and messaging remains wanting and Gachagua’s comments have again laid bare growing tensions within the outfit. 

Mavoko MP Patrick Makau said if Gachagua wants Kalonzo to move around, he should accompany him to the Mt Kenya region and endorse him for the presidency.

“He [Gachagua] can’t be threatening that he has the numbers. We know how many you are and how many votes you can control. He can’t be chest-thumping that he is the controller. Controller of what?” Makau posed.

Former CS and CCK party leader Moses Kuria reacted.

“Dear Kalonzo, Wamalwa and Matiang’i. The leader of the opposition has said you can't leave your houses when he is not around,” Kuria said.

Gachagua also pushed back against critics who argue that his confrontational style and regional focus could inadvertently hand Ruto a second term.

“Some people are out there claiming Gachagua will be the reason Ruto comes back. How will Ruto not come back if you don’t hold any meetings? Where will you get votes from—hotels and online?”

Gachagua insisted that electoral power lies with mass mobilisation. 

“Votes are with the people,” he said.

The former DP was particularly emphatic about his ability to deliver votes in regions he claims influence—Mt Kenya, Nairobi, Kajiado and Narok.

“In the regions that I am strong, I will deliver because I am engaging the people. For the rest, I don’t know,” he said.

He also questioned the commitment of some opposition figures to removing the Kenya Kwanza government, saying they had failed to confront Ruto directly.

“Some of them never even criticise the President,” he said. “How do you remove him without challenging him?"

But his scathing attack on his colleagues in the opposition raises concerns about whether the outfit will hold together until 2027, with what appears to be internal fighting and incoherence.

Political analysts warn that public declarations of supremacy risk deepening rivalries at a time when opposition forces are expected to consolidate.