United Opposition principal Kalonzo Musyoka has confirmed that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua will visit the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Opoda Farm in Bondo, Siaya County.
While explaining Gachagua’s absence in the Bondo trip before the press in Kisumu on Thursday, November 6, Kalonzo revealed that Gachagua would find time to visit Raila’s family and pay his last respects.
Still, he did not reveal when Gachagua would conduct his visit, as tension remains high on the impending visit by Gachagua, with a section of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders warning him against heading to Bondo.
Kalonzo, who was on his way to Siaya, noted that the ongoing by-election campaigns have compounded plans to visit Bondo, with Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens’ Party (DCP) contesting for several seats ahead of the November 27 by-elections.
“Riggy G will look for time and come to mourn our late brother Raila. I spoke to Gachagua last night, and he will come to pay his last respects,” he said.
“Of course, as the United Opposition, we are now strategising on the upcoming by-elections, so some of them are very busy,” Kalonzo added.
Kalonzo was speaking ahead of his own visit to Bondo, where he was flanked by leaders allied to Wiper, former Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki, and Gachagua allies Ndegwa Njiru and Gitonga Mukunji (Manyatta MP), among others.
The former Vice President first went to Kisumu, where he held a meeting with Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o in the company of Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior and Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti.
The latest comes amid uncertainty over Gachagua’s visit to Bondo, especially after he skipped the State Funeral and burial of Raila back in October. The former DP has remained mum over visiting Raila’s home, as leaders from across the political divide troop into Siaya to visit Raila’s widow, Mama Ida Odinga.
Any visit immediately after Raila’s burial was compounded by comments made by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, who supposedly appeared to celebrate Raila’s demise. In a fierce rebuttal, ODM, led by its National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, accused Gachagua of orchestrating the remarks, terming Kahiga as the former DP’s mouthpiece.
"What I know is that Kahiga does not speak for himself. Kahiga is the Spokesperson of Rigathi Gachagua," she claimed.
Adding: "Rigathi Gachagua mocked Raila's illness and asked whether he was a virus and whether Kalonzo was a bacterium. To date, Rigathi Gachagua has yet to mourn Raila, who braved political tensions to go mourn his brother, the late Nderitu Gachagua."
Since then, Gachagua’s allies Karungo wa Thang'wa and John Methu have visited Raila’s brother and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga in Nairobi, in what was seen as laying the ground ahead of a potential visit to Bondo.
At the same time, Raila’s family, led by his son Raila Odinga Junior, welcomed everyone, regardless of tribe or political affiliation, to visit, noting that they would not shun away visitors at their homestead.
