NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 1 – Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga on Sunday openly taunted former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of making poor political decisions that led to his removal from government after just two years in office.
Speaking during the homecoming visit of ODM Deputy Party Leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Otsotsi, Raila reminisced about Gachagua’s 2022 remarks, where he boasted of setting “traps” around State House to block Odinga’s access to President William Ruto.
In his characteristic style, Odinga used a riddle to suggest Gachagua’s traps had backfired, leading to his ouster following his October impeachment.
“Do you remember when someone was making wild statements, saying they set traps everywhere and that I couldn’t penetrate? What kind of trap was that?” Odinga asked, addressing a charged crowd. “He said he set a trap for Baba, claiming there would be no handshake or Nusu Mkate. Where is Gachagua now?”
Odinga’s remarks came in the wake of Gachagua’s admission that he had distanced himself from the early Ruto-Odinga rapprochement, realizing the shift in dynamics within the government.
In the early days of the Ruto-Gachagua administration, Gachagua had proclaimed himself as President Ruto’s “watchman,” claiming he would protect his boss from any overtures by Odinga, who has a history of finding his way into power.
“Leave the job of guarding the President to me. If anyone tries to approach State House, I’ve set traps on every possible path they could take. There’s no way they can get through. So, there’s nothing for you to worry about,” Gachagua had said in 2023.
Gachagua was replaced by former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, who was sworn in as the new Deputy President in November 2024.
