Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed two reasons why he admires the leadership of the late Raila Odinga.
Speaking during the Ngemi ya Watho festival hosted by the legal fraternity from the GEMA region in Thika, Gachagua said he was inspired by two aspects of Odinga’s legacy; the resilience of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) porty and Raila’s ability to remain politically influential despite never occupying the presidency.
“Look at the political party he built called ODM; a strong political party that, though he was never elected president, he was able to get into every government and get what he wanted because he had a strong political party,” Gachagua remarked.
He further praised the calibre of leaders within ODM, noting that many of them were accomplished legal minds who had consistently defended and supported Odinga’s political journey over the decades.
“In his party, all legislators are top-notch lawyers. These are the people who protected Raila Odinga for 30 years,” he said, citing senior politicians such as James Orengo, the late Otieno Kajwang, Otiende Amollo, Caroli Omondi, Peter Kaluma, Edwin Sifuna, Stewart Madzayo, Catherine Mumma, Millie Odhiambo, Tom Ojienda, Okong’o Omogeni, Mohammed Faki, and Babu Owino, among others.
Contrasting this with his own political experience, Gachagua told his supporters that leadership in the Mt Kenya region lacked equally strong and skilled political foot soldiers.
“My people, your leader is in trouble — he has no foot soldiers. You have given him tugeges, yet you sit here as great minds, and you can see the lawyers who have stood with Raila,” he said.
Gachagua urged intellectuals and professionals to take an active role in politics rather than shying away from it.
“You are so educated and learned; you must offer yourselves to lead our people, defend them, and make good laws,” he said.
He also called on professionals to join his newly formed Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), saying he aimed to recruit 140 legislators, including at least 40 lawyers, to strengthen the party’s leadership base.
“We cannot say politics is dirty. By staying away, the country remains dirty because of bad governance and poor leadership,” he added.
