Rigathi Gachagua: A DP Who Failed to Be Wise as a Serpent

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended himself against impeachment proceedings in the Senate, claiming to have been a diligent student of his boss, President William Ruto.

Gachagua drew parallels between his shareholding beliefs and the sentiments and actions of President Ruto. However, a closer examination reveals significant disparities in the political approaches of the two leaders.

In politics, timing plays a crucial role. During their first two years in power, the differences between Ruto and his boss, Uhuru Kenyatta, were never publicly displayed, as is the case here — not even in the first term. Apart from a few appointments, Ruto did not openly assert his dominance as Rift Valley King.

He gradually studied his boss, Uhuru, while quietly advancing his grand plan. His first major objective was to amass sufficient foot soldiers in Parliament. Slowly but surely, he began to undermine Uhuru's authority, and by 2022, he had an entire chorus singing his tune without any influence from Uhuru.

Caught up in the excitement of his rapid ascent, Gachagua overlooked biblical wisdom from the book of Matthew, where Jesus instructs his disciples to be as wise as serpents. Serpents enter new territories without fanfare. They blend in and observe their surroundings to ensure safety and an abundance of prey for their sustenance.

The first indication of Gachagua's style as DP came during his inauguration speech at Kasarani. Despite the presence of guests and outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta, Gachagua couldn't resist unleashing his vitriol. He was overly abrasive and bitter, earning him the moniker "the truthful man."

But Gachagua needed to do more than just speak the truth. Having risen from relative obscurity to become the second most powerful person in the country, he should have realized that he had also acquired more enemies.

Ruto spent a significant amount of money wooing the mountain through fundraising and supporting young and emerging leaders. This was the strategy he needed to employ in Mt Kenya and beyond.

Another factor that should have influenced Gachagua's political approach was the narrow margin by which Kenya Kwanza came to power. The government needed to appeal more to those who didn't vote for it than to those who did. Introducing shareholding into the political discourse was therefore a grave error.

Putting politics aside, Gachagua's leadership fell short. The Deputy President is the President in waiting and must offer hope to every Kenyan, regardless of tribe or region.

Gachagua appeared to be at ease only when discussing Mt Kenya issues, and even then, he managed to alienate other leaders from the same region. Gachagua made his bed, and now he's paying the price for his mistakes of both action and inaction.

-The writer is a communications consultant. nyagwokamike@gmail.com