Mt Kenya and Western leaders have been embroiled in the fight.
by The Star
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Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja holds the microphone for President William Ruto as he speaks with a seller at the launch of Hustler Fund at Green Park Terminus accompanied by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday, November 29, 2022.
As the feud between Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja intensifies, it is emerging that it has little to do with matatus and traders' welfare but political interests, as usual.
Since December, there has been exchange of words between leaders from Mt Kenya region and those from Western Kenya.
The war of words was triggered by Deputy President Gachagua, who criticised Sakaja's move to relocate long-distance matatus from the CBD to Greenpark terminus.
Sakaja directed that long-distance matatus to and from Nyanza, Western, North Rift, South Rift, and Central Rift pick and drop passengers at Greenpark terminus in an attempt to decongest the city. The move was challenged in court by the matatu operators.
It also drew harsh criticism from DP Gachagua, who said the move would be detrimental to business people, especially those from Mt Kenya.
“I have told the Nairobi governor that we will have a sitting with him because we are the ones who elected him. I mobilised Kikuyus in Nairobi to vote for him. Any decision that he makes that may affect business in Nairobi, we must first sit and discuss,” Gachagua said in Nyeri on December 19.
“Hatutaki speedy mingi sana, twende pole pole. Hio maneno ya kutoa matatu, hio haiwezekani. Sitaki tuanze kusumbua wafanyi biashara."
This drew a response from a section of Western region, who asked the DP to stop attacking and micromanaging Sakaja.
The Western leaders caucus in a presser said Gachagua should stop behaving "as if he is the deputy president of only Kikuyus".
Both sides have each warned of impeachment.
It started with Bumula MP Jack Wamboka, who threatened to move an impeachment motion against Gachagua, accusing him of being a tribal leader.
"Every time Gachagua opens his mouth you wonder, whether he is the deputy president or he is the deputy president of the Kikuyu republic. In fact, at some point, I will bring a motion in Parliament to discuss his conduct and impeach him because he is becoming a big embarrassment to this country," Wamboka said.
Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga responded, warning Sakaja of impeachment, if he continues "joking".
"Rigathi made you the governor. Don't play with the Kikuyu. We will not relent," he said. Gachagua comes from Nyeri county, whose governor, Mutahi Kahiga, has also defended the DP.
Reacting to the impeachment threat, Governor Kahiga said, “Let them bring it on. Anyone dreaming they can easily impeach our Deputy President doesn’t know what they are talking about.”
Behind the war of words are competing interests between the Mt Kenya and Western regions to wield as much influence in the Kenya Kwanza administration.
President William Ruto, in his first interview with the media on Wednesday, admitted the rift between Gachagua and Sakaja poses a challenge to his administration.
“It is a political challenge we have as a party and we will sit down and sort it out,” the President said.
Luanda MP Dickson Maungu has maintained that elected leaders from Western get perturbed when they see the Deputy President engaging a governor in a confrontation.
“What is more worrying is that the confrontation seems to be taking a tribal line. As leaders from the Mulembe nation, we strongly condemn the attacks. We want to assure Sakaja that we will stand by him,” Maungu added.
The Luanda legislator further said it is unfair for the Deputy President to insinuate he made Sakaja the governor.
“We are telling Sakaja to be strong and not feel intimidated,” he said.
Having brokered the deal to have Sakaja picked as UDA governor candidate for Nairobi, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is also being dragged into the fight.
Gachagua and Mudavadi hold the second and third most influential positions in government, respectively.
Before joining UDA, Sakaja had briefly teamed up with Mudavadi’s ANC before the party entered into a coalition deal with UDA to form the Kenya Kwanza alliance together with Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya.
Political commentator Joseph Mutua said the war pitting the Deputy President against Sakaja is not primarily intended to address the welfare of Nairobians.
“It is primarily about the supremacy battle between Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Secretary and the governor himself. Many believe the three are training their eyes on President William Ruto's succession in 2032,” Mutua said.
Political analyst Collins Ajuok said the DP and his political base may be worried that President Ruto may pick a different person as running mate in 2027.
"Of all the possible picks, Governor Sakaja would be appealing, especially to the youths across different tribes. Indeed, if he makes Nairobi work in this term, he would be deserving of a higher appointment," Ajuok argues.
Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu said Gachagua has a clear understanding of his political relevance and position in the Kenya Kwanza government and in Mt Kenya.
In regards to his position in Kenya Kwanza, Ngunjiri said Gachagua acknowledges he was not the first option for DP, and understands that it is his abrasiveness and aggression that gave him the edge over his competition.
“I suspect he will not lose that edge. I also suspect he understands that what will secure his position now and in future is to keep Mt Kenya around him. So expect more fights for influence, and my money is on Rigathi. He’s more focused and hits harder. Plus he understands what he would lose, if he fails,” Ngunjiri old the Star on Thursday.
MT KENYA KINGPIN
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during the launch of the Ol-Borana semi-conductor manufacturing system at Dedan Kimathi University in Nyeri county on December 19
The quarrel is also seen as an attempt by DP Gachagua to build his status as the Mt Kenya kingpin.
A close Mudavadi ally on Thursday told the Star in confidence that Gachagua is "trying very hard to be the kingpin of Central because as they competed for the deputy president slot with Prof Kithure Kindiki, he was whitewashed.
"The leaders and the MPs didn't vote for him [for the slot]. And even now, you rarely see him being accompanied by MPs from the region. He is now courting Jubilee orphans such as Kanini Kega, for whom he took credit for mobilising his EALA support in Parliament," the ally said.
While the source said he does not think the issue can be termed a tiff yet, he noted that it can easily escalate because of the tribal factor.
"The response you saw is because Rigathi's comments sent alarm bells to the others [Western region] drawing the defence of Sakaja. The Luhyas felt slighted because they also voted for Sakaja to a man," he said.
To earn that Mt Kenya kingship position, and it’s earned, he has to convince the region he has the capacity to protect and enhance their interests.
On Mt Kenya politics, Ngunjiri said Rigathi understands the region has not yet accepted him as regional leader - but it is carefully considering because of his position as the senior most political leader at the moment.
“To earn that position, and it’s earned, he has to convince the region he has the capacity to protect and enhance their interests. This is why he will be involved in small-scale and transport business issues affecting Mt Kenya, as well as issues around coffee, tea, milk etc,” Ngunjiri said.
“To do this he must push back against others in the competition for resources and opportunities;, which is why he will keep going up against various leaders in government as he works to achieve that objective,” he added.
Mutua corroborated the argument, saying Gachagua is the senior-most political leader in the region and is using the status to cultivate is kingship status.
“While taking advantage of this, he has made great progress in positioning himself as the kingpin of the mountain. For the three politicians, they know they can only succeed if they come out and fight for the interests of their people,” Mutua said.
Mutua further observed that Western is home to the second largest community in Kenya, and the region stands a high chance of producing a president in Mudavadi.
But in asserting his place in government and in Central region, the DP is facing a challenge.
Some quarters argue that Gachagua is trying to be seen to be fighting hard for the interests of the people of Central as he fears he could be undermined.
"A new power force in Central region is being created under Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro. The young MP has the President's ear at the moment. He is deciding things in Mt Kenya, including what county governments do in terms of hiring staff such as county executives. This is pushing Gachagua to fight back and build himself as his own man," a source said.
"Where does Mudavadi comes in? He could be Ruto's running mate come 2027. So the fights are vicious," he added.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, President William Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi at State House, Nairobi on September 27, 2022.
City lawyer and political commentator Elias Mutuma, however, said Kenyans could be reading too much into recent remarks by the Deputy President.
“The people who are dragging Musalia and Rigathi into the feud are self-seeking leaders who are out to take advantage of the situation to secure their interests,” he said.
Mutuma said it would be wrong to assume that the DP is in an all-out war with the governor and by extension Mudavadi.
“We have never seen Rigathi exchanging words with Mudavadi or Sakaja responding publicly to what the Deputy President says. People just want to create a mountain out of the issue,” he stated.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa shared the sentiments, saying leaders escalating the fight are after their own political survival.
“There is nothing like a fight between the two but just a difference in opinion which has been resolved.”
Though the President assured Kenyans the rift between his deputy and Sakaja would be addressed, Bumula MP Jack Wamboka had maintained he will sponsor an impeachment motion against Gachagua.
The DAP-K legislator said Gachagua “has become a tribal chauvinist" who is using the office of the Deputy President to push for the interests of one community at the expense of others.
He added that Gachagua was becoming a big embarrassment due to his "below-par conduct".
Wamboka accused Gachagua of showing open bias for the Mt Kenya region in state appointments and key decisions taken by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
"He is threatening everyone left right and centre. Sakaja was not elected by Kikuyus. Sakaja was elected by Kenyans in Nairobi," he added.
On December 29, politicians from Mt Kenya led by Kangema MP Peter Kihungi came out in defence of Gachagua, saying he was defending their businesses.
The lawmaker dismissed claims that remarks by the Deputy President were tribal.
"Sakaja is our UDA governor and we want to urge him to protect our business,” he added.
Earlier on, MPs from Western Kenya counties called on Ruto to intervene and end the fight between his deputy and Nairobi.
Led by Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera, the secretary to the Western Kenya Members of Parliament Caucus, the leaders faulted Gachagua and asked him to let Sakaja implement his pledges.
Edited by Eliud Kibii and V. Graham
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