While the rest of the country was united in grief, mourning the passing of Raila Odinga—the Enigma, the People’s President—former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua reportedly marked a different kind of anniversary: the first anniversary of his impeachment.
According to sources close to his Wamunyoro residence, Gachagua hosted a small but loud celebration attended by a few loyal allies, family members, and political hangers-on. There was laughter, music, and plenty of nyama choma as the self-styled “Son of Mau Mau” toasted to what he called “survival against betrayal.”
As millions of Kenyans filled Nyayo Stadium and watched live broadcasts of Raila’s funeral service, Gachagua’s compound was alive with his usual political banter. Those present say he jokingly referred to the day as his “political rebirth”—a moment when he was freed from what he called “State humiliation.”
The irony could not be lost on anyone. While Kenyans across ethnic and political lines came together to celebrate the life of a man who sacrificed everything for democracy, Gachagua was celebrating himself. He was the only major political figure missing at the Nyayo memorial, choosing instead to stay in his comfort zone, surrounded by loyalists.
For many observers, his absence said more than words ever could. It revealed a man still trapped in bitterness and tribal thinking, unable to rise above personal grudges. It confirmed what many have long suspected—that Gachagua’s politics are driven by self-interest, not service.
As Kenya united in mourning a statesman, Gachagua’s private celebration showed the stark difference between a man who fought for the nation, and one who only fights for himself.
