Why Ruto finally settled on Mathira MP for deputy post

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday ended a 17-hour standoff that threatened to tear apart his Kenya Kwanza Alliance  when he named  Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua as his running-mate in the August 9 presidential race.

After hours of intense consultations that sources said were not as pleasant at some point as portrayed by the DP, Ruto settled on an ally who has stood by him for the last four years after he lost favour with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

With the larger Mt Kenya region home to close to six million votes as per the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission records, Ruto opted for an individual from Nyeri, the heart of the vote-rich region and home of late President Mwai Kibaki, with the hope that the choice will attract the majority of the votes.

Gachagua’s stature within Ruto’s Hustler Nation has risen significantly since 2018, when he began to hobnob with the DP, developing a strong bond together as Ruto licked his wounds after he was elbowed from the centre  of the ruling administration following the handshake between the President and his nemesis Raila Odinga.

Intense negotiations

The MP has been one of the fiercest opponents of the Handshake and its offshoot, the Building Bridges Initiative, leading those opposed to them in Mt Kenya gaining popularity among the masses.  

Initially, the naming of the running mate was slated for Saturday but had to be delayed as two teams within the alliance haggled over who was the right choice between the MP and Tharaka-Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki.

Initially, strong indications on Saturday night pointed to the senator being handed the highly sought-after post after intense negotiations only for the tide to turn against him on Sunday morning.  

Yesterday, the DP’s allies acknowledged the dicey situation they had found themselves in saying the consultations were deep and intense and had to go on for hours before a final decision was arrived at.

The unpleasantness of the outcome was aptly captured by the absence of Kindiki, who gave the unveiling of his rival a wide berth raising questions whether the final decision was consensual.

The DP, however, cast aside doubts around his choice saying they had brought their heads together and agreed on Gachagua.

“In the end, the consensus pointed out to an individual who scored excellent points on every evaluative parameter, an astute debater with prodigious, persuasive ability, a fantastic grassroots mobiliser, a disciplined and tireless political operative,” he said of his choice.

The consultation began informally on Thursday at the DP’s official Karen residence and when his allies sat on Saturday morning, it was expected that everything will go smoothly and he will pick his preferred choice by 10am as promised.

However, things did not go as planned as two camps emerged that held to hard-line positions putting the DP at a crossroads. Kindiki and Gachagua camps pushed hard for their man to be considered with reports saying most of the lawmakers preferred the former, who has been Senate Majority Leader and the House Deputy Speaker the last nine years.

A marathon 17-hour meeting that began Saturday morning ending on Sunday morning broke the impasse and the first-term lawmaker was awarded the prize.

Accepting the nomination, Gachagua promised that he will not disappoint the presidential candidate in his new role.

“I am honoured by the responsibility and faith you have bestowed on me to be your running mate in the most-defining election in Kenya’s history. It is a responsibility I take pride in,” said the MP at Ruto’s Karen residence in a ceremony attendd by dozens of UDA stalwarts as well as Kenya Kwanza principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula. 

Other candidates for the position, notably National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, MPs Alice Wahome, Ndindi Nyoro attended the event and congratulated the nominee.

Gachagua will now be tasked with promoting Ruto-Gachagua ticket in vast Mt Kenya region, that has the possibilities of turning into a battleground with Raila, the Azimio-One Kenya leader, who is also looking a bite of votes from the region if he picks a running mate from the area.

Ruto said he trusted Gachagua, a career administrator, to deliver the votes.

“He is a successful elected politician and businessperson, a principled politician of tremendous resilience and resolve, a fearless fighter for the right cause, an indefatigable champion of the betrayed, downtrodden despised and the ignored, a living example of a true hustler who rose from the hardship of the aftermath of our freedom struggle to the pinnacle of political success,” Ruto said.

The sour grapes from the decision, however, were evident as Kindiki said he will speak to the press today.

“I am eternally grateful to all those who supported and vouched for me to be nominated the UDA and Kenya Kwanza deputy presidential candidate in the elections scheduled for August 9. Following the decision taken by my Party and coalition regarding the matter earlier today, I will make my official statement in public tomorrow. God bless Kenya and thank you,” said the second-term senator.

Ruto thanked Kindiki for showing interest in the seat praising him for the role in ensuring the collapse of the International Criminal Cases,  he and the President faced when they were first elected in 2013 collapsed.

Defeated Ocampo

“Kindiki came very far and became the runner-up in this contest. Again, a forthright Kenyan, a Kenyan of great standing, a lawyer par excellence, our former deputy speaker of the Senate. The man who defeated Ocampo. He is not here with us but brought a lot of experience, passion and commitment to this contest.

Ruto said he will hand more powers to the DP’s office after suffering humiliation in the second term upon the much-publicised fallout with the President who he worked with smoothly in the first term. 

He said he will make sure he chairs Cabinet committees, oversees the implementation of Cabinet decisions, coordinates intergovernmental relations between the national and county governments and supervises the implementation of development projects funded by partners.

“He will perform real duties assigned by the President,” he said.

He promised an Executive Order that would achieve this saying he would make sure his deputy was powerful and enjoyed some powers.

“I will sign an Executive Order on the first day in office in accordance with Article 21 (e) of the Kenya Kwanza agreement that will provide this Kenyan an expanded role together with what the Constitution gives the DP and having an occupant for the last 10 years, I believe that that office can serve the people better,” he said. 

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday ended a 17-hour standoff that threatened to tear apart his Kenya Kwanza Alliance  when he named  Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua as his running-mate in the August 9 presidential race.

After hours of intense consultations that sources said were not as pleasant at some point as portrayed by the DP, Ruto settled on an ally who has stood by him for the last four years after he lost favour with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

With the larger Mt Kenya region home to close to six million votes as per the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission records, Ruto opted for an individual from Nyeri, the heart of the vote-rich region and home of late President Mwai Kibaki, with the hope that the choice will attract the majority of the votes.

Gachagua’s stature within Ruto’s Hustler Nation has risen significantly since 2018, when he began to hobnob with the DP, developing a strong bond together as Ruto licked his wounds after he was elbowed from the centre  of the ruling administration following the handshake between the President and his nemesis Raila Odinga.

Intense negotiations

The MP has been one of the fiercest opponents of the Handshake and its offshoot, the Building Bridges Initiative, leading those opposed to them in Mt Kenya gaining popularity among the masses.  

Initially, the naming of the running mate was slated for Saturday but had to be delayed as two teams within the alliance haggled over who was the right choice between the MP and Tharaka-Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki.

Initially, strong indications on Saturday night pointed to the senator being handed the highly sought-after post after intense negotiations only for the tide to turn against him on Sunday morning.  

Yesterday, the DP’s allies acknowledged the dicey situation they had found themselves in saying the consultations were deep and intense and had to go on for hours before a final decision was arrived at.

The unpleasantness of the outcome was aptly captured by the absence of Kindiki, who gave the unveiling of his rival a wide berth raising questions whether the final decision was consensual.

The DP, however, cast aside doubts around his choice saying they had brought their heads together and agreed on Gachagua.

“In the end, the consensus pointed out to an individual who scored excellent points on every evaluative parameter, an astute debater with prodigious, persuasive ability, a fantastic grassroots mobiliser, a disciplined and tireless political operative,” he said of his choice.

The consultation began informally on Thursday at the DP’s official Karen residence and when his allies sat on Saturday morning, it was expected that everything will go smoothly and he will pick his preferred choice by 10am as promised.

However, things did not go as planned as two camps emerged that held to hard-line positions putting the DP at a crossroads. Kindiki and Gachagua camps pushed hard for their man to be considered with reports saying most of the lawmakers preferred the former, who has been Senate Majority Leader and the House Deputy Speaker the last nine years.

A marathon 17-hour meeting that began Saturday morning ending on Sunday morning broke the impasse and the first-term lawmaker was awarded the prize.

Accepting the nomination, Gachagua promised that he will not disappoint the presidential candidate in his new role.

“I am honoured by the responsibility and faith you have bestowed on me to be your running mate in the most-defining election in Kenya’s history. It is a responsibility I take pride in,” said the MP at Ruto’s Karen residence in a ceremony attendd by dozens of UDA stalwarts as well as Kenya Kwanza principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula. 

Other candidates for the position, notably National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, MPs Alice Wahome, Ndindi Nyoro attended the event and congratulated the nominee.

Gachagua will now be tasked with promoting Ruto-Gachagua ticket in vast Mt Kenya region, that has the possibilities of turning into a battleground with Raila, the Azimio-One Kenya leader, who is also looking a bite of votes from the region if he picks a running mate from the area.

Ruto said he trusted Gachagua, a career administrator, to deliver the votes.

“He is a successful elected politician and businessperson, a principled politician of tremendous resilience and resolve, a fearless fighter for the right cause, an indefatigable champion of the betrayed, downtrodden despised and the ignored, a living example of a true hustler who rose from the hardship of the aftermath of our freedom struggle to the pinnacle of political success,” Ruto said.

The sour grapes from the decision, however, were evident as Kindiki said he will speak to the press today.

“I am eternally grateful to all those who supported and vouched for me to be nominated the UDA and Kenya Kwanza deputy presidential candidate in the elections scheduled for August 9. Following the decision taken by my Party and coalition regarding the matter earlier today, I will make my official statement in public tomorrow. God bless Kenya and thank you,” said the second-term senator.

Ruto thanked Kindiki for showing interest in the seat praising him for the role in ensuring the collapse of the International Criminal Cases,  he and the President faced when they were first elected in 2013 collapsed.

Defeated Ocampo

“Kindiki came very far and became the runner-up in this contest. Again, a forthright Kenyan, a Kenyan of great standing, a lawyer par excellence, our former deputy speaker of the Senate. The man who defeated Ocampo. He is not here with us but brought a lot of experience, passion and commitment to this contest.

Ruto said he will hand more powers to the DP’s office after suffering humiliation in the second term upon the much-publicised fallout with the President who he worked with smoothly in the first term. 

He said he will make sure he chairs Cabinet committees, oversees the implementation of Cabinet decisions, coordinates intergovernmental relations between the national and county governments and supervises the implementation of development projects funded by partners.

“He will perform real duties assigned by the President,” he said.

He promised an Executive Order that would achieve this saying he would make sure his deputy was powerful and enjoyed some powers.

“I will sign an Executive Order on the first day in office in accordance with Article 21 (e) of the Kenya Kwanza agreement that will provide this Kenyan an expanded role together with what the Constitution gives the DP and having an occupant for the last 10 years, I believe that that office can serve the people better,” he said.