Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday fired back at opposition colleagues who have branded him arrogant and a political bully, telling them to stop lecturing him "like a child" and to get out of hotels and boardrooms to look for votes. Speaking at his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri, the Democracy for the Citizens Party leader singled out Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi and Jubilee leader Fred Matiang'i, both of whom criticised him over the weekend for framing the 2027 race around ethnic vote blocs.

"Na mimi mtu asiniongeleshe kama mtoto yake. I delivered the presidency of William Ruto; we will deliver this, but people should have some respect," Mr Gachagua said, according to People Daily.

'I am not arrogant, I am truthful'

Mr Gachagua said some members of the united opposition had a problem with him simply because he tells them the truth. "Just because I am a truthful man, and I tell them the truth all the time, they see that as arrogance and bullying," he said.

He insisted the presidency is "a game of numbers" and that with about 26 million voters expected on the register, the opposition must find at least 13 million plus one. He said he had already held conversations with Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and DAP-K's Eugene Wamalwa about how many votes each could deliver, and that he would not spend months mobilising Mt Kenya only to hand the votes to a candidate who "remains at home with his wife" instead of campaigning.

As evidence of his own groundwork he cited recent rallies in Kajiado North, Juja and Kikuyu, and said DCP had held 27 meetings led by younger leaders such as Nyandarua Senator John Methu while he was on his United States tour.

The Mbeere North jibe

The sharpest barb was aimed at Mr Muturi. Mr Gachagua claimed that in a recent MCA by-election in Mbeere North, a DP candidate managed 35 votes at the former Speaker's home polling station against 238 for the candidate backed by President Ruto. "And you want to lecture Riggy G about numbers? How? If you cannot deliver your polling station hapo kwako nyumbani, how can you deliver the presidency?" he said, contrasting that with DCP's win in the Ol Kalou by-election.

DCP national organising secretary Mithika Linturi piled in, claiming the party had withdrawn its own candidate in Mbeere to give Mr Muturi's DP a clear run, without result. He then turned on Mr Matiang'i, calling him a "crying baby" and urging him to go back to Kisii to consolidate his base rather than issue press statements.

Mr Muturi had on Monday accused Mr Gachagua of double-speak and of putting personal and regional interests ahead of the coalition's collective ambition, while Mr Matiang'i warned that what he termed majoritarian politics would divide the opposition.

Ngilu visit and the '2002 moment'

Earlier in the day Mr Gachagua hosted former Kitui governor Charity Ngilu at Wamunyoro, where the two discussed how the National Rainbow Coalition was stitched together in 2002 to end Kanu's rule. Mr Gachagua described her as the "Iron Lady of Kenyan politics", while Mrs Ngilu said she left convinced he was committed to a broad, inclusive front and that the next government "must be inclusive by design".

Despite the public feuding, Mr Gachagua maintained the opposition was not splitting. He said he would work with like-minded leaders who consolidate votes, but repeated his view that naming a joint candidate now, with more than 280 days to the election, would hand President Ruto an advantage.

Photos: Rigathi Gachagua (People Daily/Facebook, H.E. Rigathi Gachagua); Justin Muturi (People Daily/X @HonJBMuturi). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.