Former Rigathi Gachagua allies (From left) Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngogoyo, Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu and Nyandarua Senator Mr John Methu.
Mt Kenya region celebrated news of Mr Raila Odinga's unsuccessful bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chair with supporters of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua describing it as sweet revenge for his impeachment.
The celebration was viewed through two camps--supporters of Mr Gachagua who was impeached by a combined force of President William Ruto and Mr Odinga's MPs in parliament, and another faction that believed retired president Uhuru Kenyatta was the ideal candidate despite the fact that he had not offered his candidature.
Though Mr Gachagua had on February 14 issued a statement wishing Mr Odinga success, the way his loyalists have reacted to the former prime minister's loss paints a picture of a camp that was silently praying for his defeat.
"That feeling at this moment of losing the AUC election in Addis Ababa is like the same feeling we felt when Deputy President, Gachagua was impeached. Congratulations Mahmoud Ali Yusuf on being elected as the new AUC boss," Kajiado North MP Mr Onesmus Ngogoyo said.
Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu on Sunday told Nation.Africa that Mr Odinga's loss should now be transformed into a national movement to rescue Kenya from dictatorial and intolerant rule.
"Mr Odinga has lost. There is nothing we can do about it. We blame President Ruto who was wheeling him around Africa like a wheelbarrow. Mr Odinga should now join us to save this country from the serious economic and political threat that is the Kenya Kwanza administration," he said.
Mr Joe Nyutu.
Mr Nyutu added: "It is now time Mr Odinga took charge of the government and demand a greater say in line with his declared man of the people's status so that President Ruto can lower his insatiable taxation appetite, fight corruption and stop abductions and extrajudicial killings".
Grand opportunity
Nyandarua Senator Mr John Methu said: "We are not celebrating Mr Odinga's loss but the flop presents a great opportunity for us to have President Ruto boxed into submission that he has to rule this country as per the aspirations of our forefathers".
Mr Methu said, "We are guided by a strong desire to democratize our nation, make the economy equally work for everyone and all our children grow to become the best out of their abilities, all which President Ruto has battered".
Nyandarua Senator John Methu.
"Many of us in the Jubilee Party have all along been of the notion that Mr Kenyatta was best placed to be the AUC chair candidate. I am nearly certain that Mr Kenyatta would today be the chair if we fronted him," said former Gatanga MP Mr Nduati Ngugi.
Mr Ngugi disclosed that "we had lobbied President William Ruto to consider fronting Mr Kenyatta for the job but we were told that we were his opposition".
He added: "We went into a wait-and-see mode, knowing too well that it was a huge task to have Mr Odinga win and as we now stand, we have lost".
Kirinyaga Jubilee Party chairman Mr Muriithi Kang'ara told Nation.Africa that "we are not feeling sorry for Mr Odinga's loss but for how we made the wrong choice...Mr Kenyatta or even Martha Karua would have bagged that seat for us had we approached candidacy vetting outside our local petty politics".
Gloating on social media
Most of the entertainment joints saw patrons toast to the fall of Mr Odinga, some politicians rushing to their social media accounts to taunt him.
Jabs like "Raila takes an early lead (just like it has always been in the five attempts he has had in the local presidential elections but ending up losing the final tally)" dominated area social media engagements.
Political pundits now agree that if it were Kenyan voters who were picking the AUC chair, Mr Odinga would have performed poorly in Mt Kenya.
"Many voters in Mt Kenya hold Mr Odinga as the chief accomplice in the October last year impeachment of Gachagua as the Deputy President," said Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) don Mr Charles Mwangi.
Mr Mwangi added that "currently the region that has become President Ruto's most dedicated opposition would love anything that complicates his rule and if possible, collapse it".
"The fact that President Ruto came out as the chief campaigner of Mr Odinga meant that Mt Kenya most naturally would oppose", he said.
A day after Mr Odinga failed to secure the AUC top job, Mr Gachagua took to social media to console him.
Rejoicing in 'sweet revenge'
Political Scientist Mr Gasper Odhiambo believes that Mt Kenya is only feeling shy of declaring boldly that Mr Odinga's loss was good revenge and makes political life harder for President Ruto.
"You only need to look at some of the February 9, 2025 Gachagua directives to Mt Kenya to know why the loss is good news for the region. Anything President Ruto touches in Mt Kenya must be turned into an ugly thing," he said.
Mr Gachagua declared that the region will not support President Ruto's re-election in 2027, area voters get out of the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, and all those who impeached him be branded as community traitors.
"Mr Gachagua is today jobless because Mr Odinga donated his national assembly and Senate numbers to President Ruto to impeach him. Dr Ruto now being considered the biggest bogeyman in Mt Kenya region automatically means his friends are area enemies," said Mr Odhiambo.
'Loss for the country'
Kisii senator Richard Onyonka told Nation.Africa that "despite I being in Mr Gachagua's wing I don't celebrate Mr Odinga's fall".
He said that "this is a loss for the country and Africa since Odinga’s extensive Pan-Africanist experience spanning over four decades made him the strongest candidate".
He said Mr Odinga stood as the best place to confront thorny issues in the continent including conflicts in Eastern Congo, Sudan, South Sudan and Kenya.
"He is the candidate I rated as who can take a firm stand against corruption and advocate for democratic principles across Africa," he said.
Homa Bay town MP Mr Peter Kaluma appeared pricked by the celebrations in Mt Kenya, warning that "now we know our friends and we know our enemies...President Ruto gave it all...it is well with us".
But political scholar and commentator Prof Peter Kagwanja said Mr Odinga's loss is being celebrated for the big facade it was.
"It appeared that Mr Odinga's candidacy was part of Ruto's policy of exporting jobs and getting remittances. Was Mr Odinga pushed or did he jump into the contest?" Prof Kagwanja posed.
