In a recent turn of events, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hinted at the possibility of working with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Gachagua stated that “the door is not closed” on collaborating with Odinga to help strengthen the efforts of several opposition politicians who are determined to unseat President William Ruto.
After his defeat in the 2022 presidential race, Odinga, the unofficial leader of the opposition, initially resisted Ruto’s administration but later chose to join forces with the President.
He offered his support during Ruto’s unsuccessful bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.
Gachagua, who was recently impeached from Ruto’s government in October, has been actively seeking political alliances, including reaching out to opposition leaders as he prepares for the 2027 elections.
In a Wednesday interview with Musyi FM and other Kamba radio stations, Gachagua was asked if he would consider having Odinga in his coalition for the upcoming elections.
He responded by expressing uncertainty over Odinga’s political intentions. Gachagua suggested that Odinga must decide whether to remain allied with President Ruto, thus diluting his political legacy, or stand on the side of change for Kenya.
He emphasized that Ruto, in his view, had already lost the support of Kenya’s younger generation, particularly the 9 million Gen Z voters.
According to Gachagua, the majority of Kenyans have already made up their minds, and they want a change in leadership, with Ruto being ousted in favor of a new government that better serves the people’s needs.
As part of his efforts to build alliances, Gachagua has met with prominent political figures such as Kalonzo Musyoka of the Wiper Party, Martha Karua of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), and Eugene Wamalwa from the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K).
These meetings are seen as part of Gachagua’s ongoing outreach to the opposition as he navigates the political landscape ahead of 2027.
After Odinga’s loss to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in the African Union leadership race, the 80-year-old politician stated that he would reveal his next political move following a private meeting with President Ruto at State House in Mombasa.
In the same interview, Gachagua acknowledged that it would ultimately be Odinga’s decision to decide where he stood in the political struggle.
He mentioned that the new coalition he is building has the goal of uniting Kenyans and encouraging voter registration in preparation for the upcoming elections.
However, he made it clear that discussions regarding who would run for president in 2027 had not yet taken place.
“We are still in the early stages, and our primary focus right now is to mobilize Kenyans to register to vote and ensure that this administration is voted out.
Our intention is to unite Kenyans and work together with leaders like Kalonzo, but it is too early to pick a flagbearer,” Gachagua explained.
In another interview, Gachagua also urged people from Odinga’s stronghold in western Nyanza to see those from his own Mount Kenya region not as enemies.
He emphasized that their primary opposition was President Ruto, not Raila Odinga or the ODM party.
“We are not their enemies. We have no problem with Raila Odinga or ODM. Our problem lies with President Ruto and his administration,” Gachagua reiterated.
As the political landscape heats up, it remains to be seen whether Raila Odinga will accept Gachagua’s invitation to join forces or if he will chart his own path leading up to the 2027 elections.
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