Nyanza MPs reject Gachagua’s bid to court region, warn against political provocation

Members of the Nyanza parliament, who are part of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), have rejected former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's attempts to gain the support of Nyanza's voters ahead of the 2027 General Election. This stance was taken by a group led by James Nyikal, MP for Seme, who warned Gachagua that Nyanza would not be seen as a political prize or a bloc of votes to be captured by ethnic brokers.

Gachagua announced his upcoming tour of Nyanza counties in Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay, and Kisumu, regions traditionally associated with ODM, with the aim of expanding his political activity ahead of the 2027 polls. The MPs responded by saying that Gachagua built his political identity on divisive politics in the past and asked him not to seek support in the region without considering his past actions and remarks.

The lawmakers reminded Gachagua that Nyanza is not politically naive or forgetful, and highlighted Gachagua's past criticism of the Luo community. They questioned which Gachagua Nyanza should believe in and why, as he suddenly claims a special relationship with their people. Gachagua himself dismissed claims of political tension between the Luo and Mt Kenya communities, insisting there was none, and predicted that President William Ruto would secure only about 30% of Nyanza's votes in the next election.

The MPs warned Gachagua against depending on his personal connections with a few Nyanza leaders and urged him to focus on presenting his political agenda elsewhere before approaching the region. They also reminded Gachagua that Nyanza remains a significant player in Kenya's politics, citing the support of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Raila Odinga for Kenya's first President Jomo Kenyatta and President Mwai Kibaki, respectively.