End of vernacular in Kenya's political forums?

Political pundits are now worried that the tribalism charge levelled against Mr Rigathi Gachagua among grounds for impeachment might have no remedy.

Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse in his mover motion painted him as a tribal warrior who sells himself as the Mountain Deputy President.

The change is so emotive to a point that Kikuyu Council of Elders Chairman Wachira Kiago want to see even President William Ruto barred from using his trademark words while among the Agikuyu community.

"The president himself is notorious of using words like Mwathani Agocwo (Praise Jesus) and Muriega ringi? (are you well again?). He uses those words to connect with us, but lawmakers wat Gachagua banned from addressing us in our common language," Mr Kiago wondered.

The Agikuyu Community's Women Cultural Sensitisation Chapter Patron Jacinta Wanjiku told AVDelta News that the impeachment motion against Gachagua was tailored to criminalise speaking in area mother tongue.

"Article 7 clause (3) of the Constitution states that “The State shall–– promote and protect the diversity of language of the people of Kenya; and promote the development and use of indigenous languages.”

Ms Wanjiku added that "It obviously has a relationship to Article 44 (1) that states that: Every person has the right to use the language, and to participate in the cultural life, of the person’s choice". 

She added that part (2) of the same clearly states that "A person belonging to a cultural or linguistic community has the right, with other members of that community— (a) to enjoy the person’s culture and use the person’s language…”.

To that end, she wondered if even the President or any other leader who has previously addressed his or her community members by use of their mother tongue should cease using such so called “regionalised and ethnicised statements like Mwathani Agocwo and Muriega ringi”.

Maragua MP Mary Wamaua told us on Wednesday--just a day before DP Gachagua waS impeached--that regardless of how the impeachment trial at the Senate would end, none in Mt Kenya should ever feel ashamed to speak in mother tongue while in area people's exclusive meetings.

"They want to make us ashamed of promoting our own language. We have seen Mr Gachagua visit other regions and using national and official languages. But when he visits our elders and other Agikuyu congregations, they want him to speak to them in English. It will never happen even after they succeed to replace him," Ms Wamaua said.

Political scientist Gasper Odhiambo says "the president will run into serious turbulence in his move to fight entrenched tribalism and regionalism in the country especially in filling up the DP's slot assuming Gachagua fails in courts".

He feared that ethnicity and regionalism might come back in a magnitude that is bigger than what the president seeks to address.

He said just like political scientist Harold Lasswell defined politics to be "who gets what, when, and how", President Ruto will face the same dilemma first in the Mountain and then in the whole country.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah on Tuesday told us that "we are pursuing a national script that will civilise our democracy and the axe is not limited to the DP only, but all those who hold position of power, those who cannot file themselves behind the national flag".

Mr Ichung'wah had said that "removal of Deputy President will be a bold statement about what President Ruto stands for regarding national unity and cohesion".

Mr Odhiambo said politics of courtship, domination, manipulation and consolidating being how best one will reward and deny, President Ruto will certainly face the music, adding that it is not easy as his loyalists want to put it.

"Already the interests are at their most heightened best. Removal of Mr Gachagua from office comes with huge interests since there must be shifts in rewards," he said. 

He said that "talkshows all over are awash with lists of who becomes new DP, who becomes what in one more time revamped government as well as who gets what vantage point ahead of 2027 and 2032".

He said the common denominator in that political arithmetic is tribalism based on how to gang up as big tribes with their parties to gain advantage.

Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina, who did not support the tabling of the impeachment motion and its eventual vote, said so far the regional interests have started to flare.

"The President has already brought in Mr Raila Odinga's loyalists into government. They have not stopped dreaming of reaping maximum gain and already have started showing interest in DP post," Ms Maina told us.

She said "the negotiations for the Odinga men to join the Ruto government involved demanding for the DP slot and currently they are actively demanding it so that they can continue supporting President Ruto rule".

"I can confirm to you that one of the names that were proposed is that of Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga," she claimed.

Recent Tifa opinion poll, Ms Wanga was rated as having a 2pc chance of being named new DP should Mr Gachagua end up under the bus, in a poll that was won by interior CS Kithure Kindiki with 37 percent, Musalia Mudavadi and Ndindi Nyoro tying at 5pc and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru being rated at 3pc.

Ms Maina said she anticipated Gachagua impeachment to bring in those passions where to pass it (done on Thursday night), politicians from Mr Odinga's camp most likely demanded assurance that they will be rewarded to fill the vacancy.

Former Gatanga MP Mr Nduati Ngugi says the biggest dilemma for President Ruto will be in Mt Kenya region.

"Let us not lie to ourselves that this impeachment debate is popular in Mt Kenya. It is not and the president's rating cannot be anywhere near the 87 percent he garnered in the 2022 General Election," Mr Ngugi said.

Mr Ngugi said the President's big dilemma if true that he seeks to unite the country without isolating others, will be about winning back the Mountain's support.

"His allies are telling us that he will make the Mountain happy by delivering projects. He knows better since his predecessor Mr Uhuru Kenyatta tried making this region happy by unleashing developments, but eventually politics carried the day and area voters rebelled," he said.

Mr Kiago said "Mt Kenya is undergoing a fluid phase of sponsored divisions and it can only get worse".

He said ground debates are nothing, but hardened tribalism and regionalism that the president says he is fighting.

"With Gachagua removal from office, the president's inner circle have dangled that seat to Prof Kindiki and Mr Nyoro. Nyeri County believes that seat was theirs for five(5) years," he said.

He added that people like Laikipia East Mwangi Kiunjuri and former Public Service CS Moses Kuria have also exhibited signs of eyeing that seat.

"The President has also hinted that running mate can also be a female hence igniting passions of benefit in Kirinyaga Governor Ms Waiguru, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, and Ms Wanga," he said.

He added that "we have our networks across the country and the raging debate is about Gachagua's position being up for grabs on grounds of tribe, region, and political affiliations--the very things his ouster trial was seeking to heal".

Mathioya MP Edwin Mugo on Sunday told us that "in my support for Mr Gachagua to be ousted, the underlying hope is that Mr Nyoro will replace him".

National Democratic Congress Youths leader Ms Gladys Njoroge on Wednesday told AVDelta News that "we as Gen Z fraternity also want to be considered for that position".

She said the elderly believe they have an entitlement to senior leadership positions "where the president is 60 years old and Gachagua 58 years old".

She said beyond tribe, region, political party and gender cards, even age should be included in the characteristics of the ideal replacement.

She said "even us in the youth bracket also discreetly adhere to politics of tribe and region since in coming up with constitutional understanding of terms like regional balance and face of Kenya we must ask ourselves where we come from".

Political Scientist Barack Muluka told us that "the biggest problem facing the President is that even if Mr Gachagua is hounded out of office, he is not the type to go home and keep quiet".

"Gachagua is a man who has been spoiling for a fight and his exit from office will send him directly to the war terraces against the President Ruto rule," Dr Muluka said.

He said one of the things that have exposed Gachagua to the vagaries of impeachment is lack of a political party to host his Mountain votes that he helped Ruto get to win.

The National Democrats Party Chairman Thuo Mathenge said "we are now back to the question of how wise it is not having our own party".

Mr Mathenge said "political parties being special purpose vehicles in power contest, never again will the Mt Kenya region ever go into a contest without an own party".

Such declarations throw cold water on President Ruto's drive of pushing for the collapsing of Kenya Kwanza Alliance parties to form a national party called United Democratic Alliance.

"We will not accept that and we must have our own political party. It is something we have done since 1920s when a youthful politician Harry Thuku initiated the policy of belonging to an inhouse party," he said.

Jubilee Party Secretary General Mr Jeremiah Kioni said "Gachagua impeachment arouses tribal and regional passions more than ever in the history of this country".

Mr Kioni said "President Ruto rule is driving Kenya from roadmap to civilisation to barbarism of discussing petty issues like tribe, region, and party as tools of political reward or punishment".