Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been put on notice by Nyanza MPs, who say the region will not allow outside politicians to decide its political future or claim influence over its voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The legislators questioned Gachagua’s recent efforts to win over Nyanza, arguing that his current message does not match the political position he held when he served as Deputy President.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday during a briefing by Nyanza MPs, Caucus Chairman James Nyikal said Gachagua had every right to seek support across the country but should not expect Nyanza to simply follow his preferred political path.
“While Mr Gachagua is entitled to pursue his political ambitions and seek support in every part of Kenya, he must understand that Nyanza is neither politically naive nor afflicted by collective amnesia,” the MPs said.
The lawmakers said Gachagua previously presented Nyanza and its political leaders as a major source of opposition to government, a position they said now raises questions about his renewed interest in the region.
“For years, Mr Gachagua built a political identity around rhetoric that frequently portrayed Nyanza region and its leadership as being perpetually confrontational and hostile to government,” the statement said.
They recalled what they described as his use of negative stereotypes against Nyanza residents, saying his latest attempt to present himself as having strong ties with the region requires an explanation.
“He repeatedly invoked misguided stereotypes of our people as ‘stone throwers’ and treated our political convictions as something to be feared and/or contained. Today, he suddenly claims a different story of special relations with our people. We therefore ask: Which Gachagua should Nyanza believe? And why?” they said.
The MPs said they were not opposed to a politician changing political positions but insisted that such a shift should come with an explanation, especially when seeking the support of people who were previously criticised.
“Political conversion is possible. But conversion requires explanation, confession and accountability,” they said.
They challenged Gachagua to state when his views changed, what caused the shift and why Nyanza residents should now believe in his new political message.
The lawmakers also pushed back against Gachagua’s remarks on the expected presidential vote in Nyanza, particularly his claim that President William Ruto would receive just 30 per cent of the region’s support in 2027.
“We particularly reject his attempt to prescribe how Nyanza should vote next year by wagering that President William Ruto will receive only 30 per cent of the region’s vote,” the statement said.
The MPs said such predictions should not be treated as instructions to the people of Nyanza, maintaining that voters would decide their preferred candidates and political alliances when the election arrives.
“The people of Nyanza, guided by their leadership, interests and democratic convictions, will determine their political choices when the time comes,” they said.
They further warned against reading the region’s politics through individual relationships between Gachagua and some Nyanza politicians.
“Knowing our politicians does not confer ownership of the region’s politics. Nyanza has its own leaders, institutions, history and political agency,” they said.
The MPs also drew a line between Gachagua’s political ambitions and the legacy of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, rejecting any suggestion that his influence in Nyanza could be taken over by another politician.
“Equally unacceptable is any attempt by Mr Gachagua to appropriate the leadership or legacy of Raila Odinga, the man he has spent his whole adult life disparaging,” they said.
They said Raila’s bond with the people of Nyanza was built through years of political struggle and sacrifice and could not be claimed simply through new political alliances or relationships.
“That legacy cannot be inherited through political connivance, nor can Mr Gachagua appoint himself its custodian,” the MPs said.
The legislators said Nyanza should also not be reduced to a collection of votes that politicians seek to control during election campaigns.
“Nyanza is not a political trophy. It is not a bloc of votes waiting to be captured by ethnic brokers or deployed as ammunition in Mr Gachagua’s political contest with his former boss President Ruto,” they said.
Instead, they said residents were focused on issues affecting their daily lives, including employment opportunities for young people, investment, industrialisation, roads, energy and other infrastructure.
They also pointed to modern farming, revival of the fishing sector, improved healthcare and education, as well as economic empowerment, as key priorities for the region.
The MPs said Gachagua should first explain his record in government before asking Nyanza residents to support his political ambitions.
“Mr Gachagua must therefore answer a simple question: What did he do for Nyanza when he occupied the second-highest office in the Republic and did not need its votes?” the statement asked.
They said political support should follow a clear record of service and a credible plan for addressing the region’s concerns, rather than promises made during the campaign period.
“Before rhetoric must come record. Before seeking Nyanza’s future support must come an honest accounting of the past,” they said.
The MPs maintained that Nyanza would remain open to hearing from all political leaders but would not surrender its right to determine its own political direction.
They added, “Nyanza will listen to everyone. But Nyanza will decide for itself.”