Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed that he had set up traps at State House to prevent Raila Odinga from gaining access to the President, but has since removed them after realizing that the ODM leader’s interests align with his own push for a one-man, one-shilling, one-vote revenue sharing formula.
In an interview with Kikuyu media outlets, Gachagua recounted how he had constantly checked the traps he had set up, hoping to capture Raila in his attempts to join the government “through the backdoor.”
“My boss and I had agreed we set up traps so that Raila does not join the government through the backdoor, I would check the traps every morning and evening,” Gachagua said.
However, he said that once he noticed President Ruto and Raila appearing to reconcile, he decided to step back and observe from a distance.
DP Gachagua acknowledged that he had a change of heart after Raila voiced support for the one-man, one-shilling, one-vote campaign that he himself had championed.
“I realized that my traps would work against this man (Raila) who I have come to realize is helping me push for the one-man, one-shilling, one-vote revenue sharing formula call,” Gachagua said.
The second in command added that he went to State House early one morning and removed all the traps, stating that he had no issue with Raila accessing the President’s residence.
The Deputy President also drew parallels between Raila’s relationship with former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the current partnership between Ruto and Raila, acknowledging that political allies and foes can sometimes change over time.
“Uhuru Kenyatta told us Raila was bad, but they ended up working together, Ruto told us Raila was bad, but they are working together, I sat and wondered was I Gachagua in the dark?” He posed.
“I started wondering why we beat Uhuru so much, saying we did not want Raila, we wanted Ruto, so the person who made us hate Uhuru has now been declared to be good person by President Ruto.” The DP added
Gachagua’s admission and subsequent actions highlight the fluid nature of Kenyan politics and the willingness of political leaders to adapt their strategies based on changing circumstances and perceived alignments of interests.