Impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua appears to be borrowing a page from Raila Odinga’s playbook — presenting himself as the people’s messiah while commanding loyalty through intimidation and calculated populism.
Like the ODM supremo, Gachagua is trying to craft the image of an oppressed fighter standing up against the system, hoping to use public sympathy and ethnic loyalty to build a personal power base. But unlike Raila, who built his movement over decades, Gachagua’s sudden shift is seen as opportunistic and self-serving.
One of the tactics Gachagua seems to be copying is party and regional dictatorship — dictating who meets who, what artists should say, and branding those who disagree with him as “traitors.” This top-down approach, where one man wants to be the sole authority on political direction, resembles Raila’s ODM model, where perceived disloyalty can get you politically excommunicated.
However, Mt. Kenya is culturally and politically different; its voters value independence, enterprise, and free association — not blind loyalty or political threats.
If Gachagua thinks he can centralize power over Mt. Kenya politics the way Raila did with Nyanza, he’s misreading the room. The mountain resists political monopolies and thrives on competitive leadership. What worked for Baba in one region will not work for Riggy G in another.
Trying to replicate ODM-style politics in a region with strong individualistic roots will only backfire — and the voters are already showing signs they won’t be controlled.
