Gachagua Should be Welcome in Bondo to Mourn with the Raila Odinga Family

Gachagua responds to Ruto’s remarks on lacking a challenger after Raila’s death

Even when you want to you say something positive about Rigathi Gachagua who has built himself a reputation of being the greatest tribalist in Kenya who now wants to take State House as Kalonzo’s babysitter, Gachagua himself ruins such effort just opening his mouth.

I am one of those many residents of Bondo Town in Siaya county who would say that the people in that part of the world would not ruin their reputation or do anything to belittle the dignity that Raila Amolo Odinga enjoys today in our country and across the world as Kenyans have seen by having any fights with Gachagua should he choose to go visit the Odinga Family.

People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua, former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu and other women leaders at the grave of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

I was just entertaining those thoughts of trying to be nice to Gachagua to welcome him to Bondo “City” as I call it always and my sisters there tell me to work hard if we ever want a city there, but it is happening because in there you find all sectors of the economy at your doorstep. Then they have that university in Bondo Town, just going up towards Nyamira Girls and Maranda Boys High Schools which are academic giants in our country.

And the Kenyan Medical Training College (KMTC) is right there close to Barkowino High School. KMTC there has been great for young Kenyans studying to get into the healthcare profession by working and studying to be registered Nurses or Nurse Practitioners.

My word for Riggy then was that if he goes to Bondo he should say hi to that sister of mine. She is down at the Bondo Town Market just next to Bondo Primary School. She sells good food too at the market and Riggy will be welcome to eat all he needs there.

So, I was thinking of all these good things to ask Gachagua to do when he hits Bondo Town, when I come across a statement from the man himself which just makes you sick.

“So, to William Ruto, as much as you seem to celebrate the death of Raila and claim you have no opponents. Your opponent is not ourselves here; they are the people of Kenya; they are in millions; be prepared to face them when the elections come,” he stated.

“We have clear instructions from the people of Kenya to agree on one candidate to face Ruto and end his rule. We want to assure the people that we are determined to abide by their wish and get a single candidate. It will happen, and that will be the president of the nation,” he stated.

Of course, Gachagua did not utter a word when his own governor in Nyeri county, Mutahi Kahiga, publicly and loudly celebrated Raila’s death as something that will be beneficial to some leaders and some communities. The whole country condemned such cruel act of dancing on someone’s grave and Gachagua said nothing and most likely shared the same views with the Nyeri governor and was very happy to hear his governor saying what he wants to hear.

Let us take it at face value that the Kenyan people have given Gachagua and Kalonzo instructions to take down President William Ruto. Can those people also give instructions to Gachagua to shut his mouth instead of opening it and ugly hell oozes out.

There is talk about William Ruto forming alliances with ODM and other political parties to keep him as the president after the 2027 elections. One good thing for those who would rather unite around President Ruto to stop Gachagua from taking State House is that the resentment Kenyans have for Gachagua and his kind of politics is phenomenon.

There are those who want the United Opposition to come up with one candidate to kick Ruto out of State House and that is fair challenge from their side, but sadly enough for them there are millions of Kenyans who would accept any united approach to make sure that man, Gachagua, never takes control of State House using any stooge he chooses. That sense is driving the opposition into despair because of the overwhelming resentment Kenyans have towards Rigathi Gachagua who many Kenyans did not know at all before the 2022 elections and is now the definition of everything harmful and dangerous towards building a united Kenya where all citizens have a stake in the development of the country.

By picking Kalonzo Muysoka as his presidential candidate, Gachagua will be effectively ending Kalonzo’s political career. That reality may apply to a whole bunch of politicians clinging to that man, Gachagua, for their political survival in the next General Elections. It is going to be a heavy knock-out punch for a whole bunch of politicians grasping on Gachagua.

Kenyans know that Gachagua is going to pick Kalonzo Muysoka as their presidential candidate. The opposition candidate will not be a matter of members of those voting to pick a candidate, it will all be up to Gachagua to choose the presidential candidate for the opposition who is loyal to him and will take his orders. Everybody knows that means if Kalonzo Muysoka ends up as the opposition candidate that will be a hope for Gachagua to have his small puppet of choice who will take instructions from him every day in terms of what to do for Kenyans.

Under those conditions, Kalonzo would then be given a small chair somewhere in State House to sit and sing as Gachagua ruins the country. Kenyans will not allow that to happen. In fact, Gachagua running State House from outside would be more dangerous to the country because he will defend himself when terrible things are done to Kenyans by saying he is not the president.

Rigathi Gachagua is not going to run for the presidency, and he knows that very well but by far he is the best gift William Ruto could ever have to win in 2027 elections because the next election may very well be on how best to throw Gachagua into the political dustbin where he so deservingly belongs, and let him stay there forever. Gachagua is not going to be able to put any stooge he wants in Kenya’s State House. Ruto will owe him a lot of thanks at the end of 2027 elections and Kenyans will want nothing to do with Gachagua ever again.

Adongo Ogony is a Human Rights Activist and a Writer who lives in Toronto, Canada