Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua journey with President William Ruto could come to an end by 2027, when the country goes to the polls.
This is according to political analysts who argue that Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi would better positioned to deputise Ruto, should he seek a second term in office.
On Monday, November 14, political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi triggered a heated debate, after suggesting that Ruto is likely to pick Mudavadi ahead of 2027 polls.
“Mudavadi will be Ruto's running mate in 2027. Kikuyus will be downsized and will need a Kenneth Matiba to regain relevance.,” he tweeted.
However, speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, political analyst Martin Andati dismissed Ngunyi’s talk, saying it was speculative but was not far-fetched.
Andati noted that though it is still early to make conclusions, Gachagua has been goofing in public, and that could prompt Ruto to drop ahead of next elections.
“Ngunyi is just making speculations though it is not something that can be dismissed. Mudavadi has been a person of goodwill and has mass support, especially from the Luhyas," he stated.
The discussion has been there even within the party as most see him as the next DP. Rigathi has been making a lot of blunders while it is still very early and this might be doing more harm to him,” he added.
Since inauguration, the DP has on some occasions been on 'slip' mode, making roadside declarations that have painted the executive in bad light.
The controversial Shamba system headlines the DP's lowest moments, since becoming the country's second in command.
During the burial ceremony of Baringo Deputy Governor Charles Kipng'ok in Eldama Ravine in September, Gachagua claimed that Ruto's government would bring back the 'shamba system' that would allow Kenyans to farm inside gazetted forests. But after condemnation, Gachagua, who always shoots from the hip, sought to clarify, accusing the media of misquoting him.
Before the shamba system dust could settle, the DP was on Citizen TV on Sunday, October 2, where he claimed claimed that the country's financial situation was so bad that it lacked sufficient foreign exchange reserves to import oil.
Within hours, Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) came out to state the record straight, in what appeared to be correcting the DP.
During the swearing-in ceremony at Kasarani, Gachagua went ahead to criticize former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration for intimidating them over the last five years. He did so in the presence.
