Gachagua explains his ‘kuua nyoka na mayai’ remark
Rigathi Gachagua was in Meru launching his mega rallies for 2027 elections and instead of telling the Meru people about the development plans he has for them and for the country should he take over the government with his opposition friends, the man was busy talking about “uuaring” opposition people (snakes) with their “mayais”.
Gachagua must have thought this was terrific message to Meru people whom he must have assumed would be part of the “Kuua Nyoka na Mayai yake” grand plan for Gachagua and the United Opposition that he leads.
I am sure the other United Opposition leaders like Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua and Fred Matiang’i are thrilled with the plans their boss has for them to achieve for the country.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended his controversial “kuua nyoka na mayai yake” (kill the snake and its eggs) remarks, claiming they were purely figurative political language and not an incitement to violence.
His response comes after the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) announced it had launched investigations into the remarks to determine whether they amount to hate speech or ethnic incitement.
Speaking at a public event in Meru, Gachagua dismissed claims that his comments advocated violence, saying they were intended to convey the opposition’s resolve to remove President William Ruto and his allies from office through the ballot in the 2027 General Election.
“Yesterday, I said we will kill the snake and its eggs and I have seen NCIC commissioners being pushed to ask us to explain ourselves,” Gachagua said.
“Let me be clear, we do not have hate speech. We use figurative language because we are literature students.”
He claimed that the “snake” referred to President Ruto, while the “eggs” symbolised the President’s political followers, insisting that both references related solely to the democratic electoral process.
“Killing the snake is sending William Ruto home at the ballot. Killing the eggs is sending home all his followers, also at the ballot,” he said.
“That is what we mean. So if NCIC wants an explanation, write to me, and I will respond to your queries.”
Gachagua maintained that figurative expressions, symbolism and proverbs are common forms of political communication and should not be interpreted literally.
Meru of course has very complicated political dynamics and leaders in all directions but Gachagua wanted to set a clear path for Meru come 2027.
“We speak in figurative language. We speak in proverbs, symbolism and figurative language for effective communication,” Gachagua said.
The former Deputy President’s remarks have attracted public attention following NCIC’s decision to open investigations into several political leaders and public figures over recent statements that the commission says could undermine national cohesion.
According to the commission, the investigations seek to establish whether the remarks made by the individuals amount to hate speech, ethnic incitement or other offences under the National Cohesion and Integration Act.
NCIC stressed that the inquiries are being conducted independently and in accordance with the law.
“These investigations are being undertaken strictly in accordance with due process and the law. No individual, regardless of office or standing, is beyond the reach of the law where credible allegations of hate speech or ethnic incitement arise,” the commission said.
The commission also emphasized that all those under investigation remain innocent unless and until evidence establishes otherwise.
Gachagua’s ugly tribalism is not news to anybody in Kenya and his expectation is that Kenyans will embrace his tribalism as the way forward for the country and his co-leaders in the United Opposition luckily for him seem love his message for the country and will help him work towards achieving that mission in Kenya.
Gachagua was making his “Kuua Nyoka” demands after another tribal outburst when he asked the people of Meru to make sure that their long serving MP Abdul Rahim Dawood is replaced by someone born to the Meru mothers and get rid of the Muhindi guy even though Rahim Dawood was born in Meru and has lived there all his life while also serving as an MP in the last 14 years as Independent candidate.
Is the NCIC also dealing with that other nonsense from Gachagua?
Kenyans know Rigathi Gachagua and his ugly tribalism very well because that is what has defined his politics and now he has got an opposition team ready and willing to help him achieve his great tribal goals for the country. What can possibly go wrong with that plan?
Exactly one year ago today while touring the USA and making speeches everywhere, Gen Z Kenyans from his own community advised Gachagua to stop being a tribalist if he expects Kenyans to take him seriously as their leader.
Kenyans Will Listen To and Thank Valentine Wanjiru Githae but Gachagua Will Not
This was Gachagua last year.
July 27, 2025
Kenyan Gen Zs in US to Gachagua: Position yourself as a national leader
“My name is Valentine Wanjiru Githae, and I am here representing the 625 Movement. And mheshimiwa, we are here to tell you the truth, and if we don’t tell the truth as Gen Zs we are doomed to fail, and Kasongo will be back in power,” she stated.
“You need to start positioning yourself as a national leader and not a tribal leader. I know many people won’t like what I am saying, but it is the truth. The first mistake that has been done in this event is speaking Kikuyu,” she added.
“I watched your speech about you in Boston, and there is something you said that the Kikuyu are more hardworking; we have grown the country. But we have done that because we are a beneficiary of Jomo Kenyatta,” she added.
Valentine Wanjiru Githae, directly confronted the former DP over what she termed as divisive rhetoric that undermines national unity.
She told Gachagua to reframe his political approach if he hopes to challenge President William Ruto effectively in 2027.
Wanjiru, who hails from Mathira—Gachagua’s rural home—criticised the decision to begin the meeting by addressing attendees in Kikuyu.
While acknowledging her own Kikuyu heritage, she warned against perpetuating ethnic-based leadership narratives.
“If we position ourselves as Kikuyu, another tribe will also do that, and before we know it, we are back to the same problem,” she cautioned.
Wanjiru also took issue with remarks Gachagua made during a rally in Boston, where he described the Kikuyu as the “drivers of the Kenyan economy” due to their hard work.
She argued that such statements reinforce tribal entitlement and ignore the broader contributions of other Kenyan communities.
“We cannot say that people from other tribes are not hardworking. We have that sense of entitlement as Kikuyus, and it has to stop. If I do not say that, I will not be telling Mheshimiwa the truth,” she asserted.
Gachagua fights off trabalist tag after being confronted by Gen Z in the US
Rigathi Gachagua strongly defended his consistent focus on the Mt. Kenya region, dismissing claims that he is stoking tribal divisions.
“My daughter, if you follow what happened two weeks before I came to America, you will realise why I have to defend the Mt. Kenya people,” Gachagua stated. “Businesses for the Mt. Kenya people were targeted for destruction. In other areas, they were not destroyed. This is because they wanted to intimidate the people of that region into silence.”
He further alleged bias in arrests and prosecutions following the recent anti-government protests, claiming that 92% of those charged with terrorism-related offences were from the Mt. Kenya region.
He concluded by affirming that he is willing to pay any political price for standing with his people.
“Somebody must defend the mountain. If all of us get intimidated and allow the people to get intimidated, what happens? And I say, I don’t have to be president; I don’t have to be anybody in Kenya. And if I will be a nobody because I stand with the people, let it be.
It is obvious Gachagua did not get the message about his tribalism which was delivered so eloquently right in his face. It was a clear and direct vision for our country from the voice of that young Kenyan speaking for Gen Z citizens of our country everywhere they live.
That is what will be resonating with Kenyans in the country and in diaspora but as expected Gachagua did not listen to the wise words from that young Kenyan. Instead he went on with his tiring tribal agenda which is killing his United Opposition hopes to be a real political force in the country.
Gachagua is welcome to go on with his tribalism in his DCP party and the political groups glued to him as he takes them to a political grave and they will deserve that.
There is a wide open dumping ground for the whole team to jump in and Kenyans will move on to build a free country where all citizens are equal and aspire to rebuild our economy, address issues of justice for all Kenyans as they stick to the vision of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution.
What Valentine Wanjiru Githae told Gachagua in Baltimore is not a narrative but the truth and the whole truth and she will be validated in August 2027 when Kenyans head to the polls. Long live that vision for Kenya.
We know Gachagua denounced that clear patriotic vision for that brilliant voice in Baltimore the big issue is what will his United Opposition fellows like Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua and Fred Matiang’i do and say in response to what Valentine Wanjiru Githae frankly told their boss.
Will the opposition continue to bury their heads in the sand looking at the tsunami facing them as they continue to worship King Gachagua. Of course they will because they have no better vision themselves. Good for them and good for the country.
Gachagua has told Kenyans that he is ready to loose the 2027 Presidential and General Elections because he worships tribalism.
What are the other leaders in his United Opposition prepared to do. Are they willing to drown with him in that doomed boat? Then they are welcome.
It is amazing that it took the voice of such a young proud Kenyan to loudly say what the whole country has been battling with for months now. Thank you very much because you have spoken for millions of Kenyans.
Valentine Wanjiru Githae has said something that even our most prominent human rights activists in the country have no courage to speak about as they see everything unfolding in front of all Kenyans.
Now it is time for Gachagua and his opposition leaders to “SKIZA WAKENYA”. Oh Dear! Will Gachagua SKIZA Valentine Wanjiru Githae?
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, his spouse Pastor Dorcas and allies during launch of new satellite office in Boston, USA.
The great news here for Kenyans and for the voters in 2027 is that for the first time Gachagua has publicly confessed that he is a tribalist and he will not change that part of his politics.
It is no longer other people claiming that Gachagua is a nasty bigot. The man himself was telling all Kenyans as he spoke in Boltimore that yes tribalism in political leadership is his vision for Kenya. The country will see what the voters think after the 2027 elections.
Today as the nation approaches the 2027 General Elections, Kenyans are getting scared that with the likes of Gachagua trying to put tribes against each other for their own political hopes and the rising culture of goonism where every political group has their goons ready for combat even in churches where the politicians bring their problems and their goons to bring chaos, there could be mass violence during and after 2027 elections.
In the 2007/8 mass violence Kenyans saw President Kibaki slaughtering thousands of Kenyans from the wrong tribes according to him in Nairobi and Nakuru and it blew out into hell for every Kenyan everywhere. The other side also launched their tribal violent attacks starting with the Kiambaa church massacre and that too spread all over Rift Valley.
Kenyans are scared that if this political goonism culture from top leaders like Gachagua goes to the next general election it will result in mass violence everywhere like the 2007/8 national calamity for Kenyans.
I am pretty confident that Kenyans will not allow themselves to be dragged into another 2007/8 mass killings and trauma for the country.
Kenyans saw that after they had lost so many family members and everything in their lives the people who started and sustained the violence in 2007/8 mass killing of Kenyans were the beneficiaries after they became political heroes and took leadership at the top levels in the country
Politicians including those in government today hoping that mass violence will be their route to power in 2027 need to find something else to do because Kenyans will not accept anything like that this time.
People are not stupid to just go kill their neighbours for some politicians to get power. Not this time.
Adongo Ogony is a Human Rights Activist and a Writer who lives in Toronto, Canada
