Gachagua Hints at Odinga’s Alleged Handshake Plans

A video of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has surfaced, in which he claimed that he had to cut short a trip to Italy to thwart what he described as Opposition Leader Raila Odinga’s attempts to seek a handshake with President William Ruto.

In the video, Gachagua is heard explaining that he had been in Italy but had to return quickly to address Odinga’s alleged overtures.

“They were trying to get to the President… I had just been abroad in Italy, and they were trying to go through there, so I was called back hastily. My job there is simple; my job is to protect William Ruto. I have no other role; that’s my job,” Deputy President Gachagua said in the video, which appears to have been recorded during a church event.

Gachagua’s comments seemed to target opposition leader Raila Odinga, insinuating that he was attempting to reconcile with President William Ruto.

Gachagua stated that his role in the Kenya Kwanza government, led by Dr. Ruto, is to combat anyone with intentions to disrupt it.

“If I see anyone causing trouble for his government (referring to Ruto’s government), that is my job, to grapple with that person. This riddler (Raila Odinga) has a bad history. Do you want me to welcome him to approach the President?” Gachagua asked, evoking laughter from those he was addressing.

In the video, the Deputy President also recounted his encounter with Raila Odinga at the funeral of freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi’s wife, Mukami Kimathi, where he claims he informed Odinga about his history of destabilizing governments when he loses elections.

“This riddler approached me at the funeral the other day (in Nyandarua) and asked me, ‘Why don’t you want to engage in talks? Are you afraid of discussions? Let’s have a dialogue… So, I stood up and told him, ‘I’m not afraid of talks; the only person I’m afraid of is you,” he narrated, eliciting laughter.

Gachagua continued to say, “Because everywhere you’ve gone, you’ve caused trouble. You were with Moi and caused trouble (former President Daniel Arap Moi), you were with Kibaki and caused trouble (former President Mwai Kibaki), you took our son Uhuru Kenyatta and confused him (he’s now retired). We’re seeing that if you get close to William Ruto, he will lose his way.”

As the nation awaits the report of reconciliation talks between the Kenya Kwanza government and the opposition coalition Azimio, critics of Gachagua have questioned whether he fears a handshake between President Ruto and Odinga.

Emphasizing that he fears nothing, the Deputy President stated that his concern is to see Dr. Ruto’s government disintegrate.

He noted that he responded directly to Raila Odinga during the funeral of Mukami Kimathi.

“I answered him as he sat there. Did I do right or wrong?” he asked.

Gachagua has received praise from his Kenya Kwanza allies, including President Ruto, who often refers to him as the “Leader of Truth.”

Gachagua is in the process of reconciling with former President Uhuru Kenyatta, with the aim of burying their political differences.