Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared that he will unveil the name of his newly formed political party, which is fully established and only awaiting its grand launch in May of 2025.
The former second-in-command was speaking on Sunday, February 9, 2025, during an interview with Kikuyu radio and TV stations that was centered on the political trajectory of the Mt Kenya region now that he has completely fallen out with his former boss, President William Ruto.
During the session, Gachagua took a moment to delve into the details of his party and the broader Mt Kenya political landscape, emphasizing that everything he was revealing in the interview was a direct message from the people of Mt. Kenya who had entrusted him to voice their concerns.
It was at this juncture that he declared he had fulfilled the mandate given to him by the people of Mt Kenya—to establish a formidable political party that would stand as the region’s signature force, akin to Raila Odinga’s ODM.
“Our party is ready. It is in the showroom, the engine is brand new, the tires are Michelin, and the driver is Gachagua—he won’t steer it off course. People are eager to know the name. The fifth month is when we will make the big reveal. We will begin opening branches, transitioning people from UDA, and firmly rooting them in our new home. We want all other communities to join us—we are offering them seats at the table. We have already allocated positions to some, and for those yet to be accommodated, this is their chance to come on board.”
Gen Zs will dominate
Gachagua, who during the interview repeatedly ridiculed his former boss for what he termed as betrayal of the Mt Kenya region, then announced that Gen Zs would enjoy the lion’s share of representation in the party, ensuring it is dynamic, all-inclusive, and aligned with modern political trends.
He stated that, for now, he was withholding any specific details about the party as the time was not yet ripe for such disclosures, but he assured that once unveiled, the party would be the talk of the nation and a trailblazer in the political arena.
“Gen Zs will play a major role and will be key decision-makers. For strategic reasons, I will not be announcing the name of the party today. We will launch it in Nairobi at a venue that will be announced in due time.”
Rejecting development tokenism
Gachagua also took a jibe at President Ruto over development matters, stating that it was not him influencing Mt Kenya residents to reject the president but rather Ruto’s own failure to deliver tangible progress for the region.
The former Mathira MP further asserted that Mt Kenya people had instructed him to tell Ruto that they would not kneel or beg for development projects, and if the president chose to neglect them, they had already moved on.
He maintained that even during his tenure as deputy president, they had cheered for Ruto with unwavering enthusiasm, and he had personally urged the people of Mt Kenya to do the same, yet no substantial benefits ever came their way.
“My people have made it clear—they will not beg or bow to anyone to receive development. They are taxpayers and rightfully deserve everything. No one will chant praises just to be handed development projects. Even when I was beside him, cheering him on, we got nothing. So, cheering won’t change anything.”
