DP Gachagua has on several occasions told those who cared to listen that Governor Sakaja is intent on bringing down Kikuyu-owned businesses in Nairobi like bars and the matatu industry. Sakaja has however stood his ground and told the DP off, saying that he does not need permission from him to implement his election pledges
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is a man on a mission with eyes set on consolidating political influence within the Mount Kenya region ahead of the 2027 elections. Sources say that apart from Mr Gachagua fighting to be retained by President William Ruto as the running mate in the 2027 presidential contest, the DP has also embarked on solidifying his political support among the populous Kikuyu community to have strong bargaining power. With the Kikuyu support base behind him, DP Gachagua believes he will have a head start.
In the wider scheme of things, DP Gachagua has also identified key elective seats he wants Kikuyus to bag in the next polls, one of them being the Nairobi governor’s seat currently held by Johnson Sakaja. Political analysts and those who have been following political events as they unfold in Nairobi County will agree that Mr Gachagua is already plotting to influence the next governor of Nairobi.
Aware that impeaching Governor Johnson Sakajja might be a toll order considering that the governor enjoys massive support from the Azimio Coalition allied MCAs in the County Assembly, the best he can do is to frustrate and sabotage him and ensure he fails in service delivery which will be the reason enough for replacing him.
It has also emerged that it was Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula who convinced William Ruto to let Sakaja fly the Kenya Kwanza gubernatorial flag in the last elections. According to well-placed sources, DP Gachagua wanted a Kikuyu candidate and is said to have had a soft spot for former Sterehe MP Margaret Wanjiru
The Nairobi county Assembly has 124 MCAs, 85 elected and 39 nominated. Out of the 85 seats, UDA has 36, ODM 34, Jubilee seven, Wiper four, Chama Cha Kazi one and four are independent. The Ruto-led UDA party and Raila Odinga’s ODM each have 17 nominated MCAs. Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party has three nominated MCAs and Wiper has two.
DP Gachagua has on several occasions told those who cared to listen that Governor Sakaja is intent on bringing down Kikuyu-owned businesses in Nairobi like bars and the matatu industry. Sakaja has however stood his ground and told the DP off, saying that he does not need permission from him to implement his election pledges.
It has emerged that it was Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula who convinced William Ruto to let Sakaja fly the Kenya Kwanza gubernatorial flag. According to well-placed sources, Gachagua wanted a Kikuyu candidate and is said to have had a soft spot for former Sterehe MP Margaret Wanjiru. It was after Ruto was convinced on Sakajja that Gachagua fronted former ABSA Bank Chief Operating Officer James Njoroge Muchiri as Sakaja’s running mate.
City Hall sources have divulged that Sakaja has sidelined his deputy and the two do not enjoy a cordial relationship anymore. Sakaja believes that Gachagua could be using Muchiri to checkmate and spy on him. Gachagua is now said to be scheming on how to have a Kikuyu Governor for Nairobi come 2027. Several names are being mentioned and interestingly, most of them are from the Azimio Coalition. Sources close to Mr Gachagua told The Weekly Vision that the chairman of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce Richard Ngatia is top on the list. Mr Ngatia was in Azimio Coalition and campaigned to run for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat but was asked to withdraw in support of Polycarp Igathe.
Sources say that Mr Ngatia has technically dumped Azimio and has become a frequent visitor at State House. Gachagua is said to have brought him on board. Another Azimio supporter who is said to have found his way within the corridors of State House is former Dagoretti South MP Denis Waweru. Waweru lost to John Kiarie who was vying on a UDA ticket and garnered a total of 26,394 votes to beat Waweru who managed a total of 22,773 votes.
Sources say Mr Waweru who has since gone underground politically speaking has been holding secret meetings with Mr Gachagua. It has also been whispered that Gachagua’s fallback plan could be former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko. Sources say Gachagua is a close friend of Sonko and that should he fail to find a suitable Kikuyu candidate for Nairobi in 2027 then Sonko could be his fallback plan.
