The Democratic Citizens Party (DCP) Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala has strongly dismissed claims by Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is secretly collaborating with President William Ruto.
Speaking in Malava on Tuesday during a campaign rally for DCP candidate Edgar Busieka ahead of the November 27th by-election, Malala described Kioni’s assertions as nothing more than “state-sponsored tactics” meant to divide the opposition and undermine its criticisms of government.
“I have seen there are people like Kioni who have embarked on diversionary tactics. These are people sent with specific instructions to divide the United Opposition,” Malala said.
“If you are in the opposition and you cannot say a ‘wantam’ slogan, then you are a mole. Kioni should stop sowing confusion, claiming that Riggy G is a Ruto project. Can Gachagua really be with Ruto? Under no circumstances can we work with Ruto.”
Malala also accused Kioni of hypocrisy, noting that the Jubilee official has rarely, if ever, taken a firm stand against the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Kioni has never spoken against this government, yet he claims to be in the opposition. That alone tells you who he really serves,” Malala charged.
Malala insisted that the opposition shares a common goal of ensuring Ruto does not secure a second term in office.
“Our foremost agenda is Ruto One Term. Kioni must stop creating confusion within the movement. He claims that Rigathi Gachagua is Ruto’s man, but can Gachagua truly remain loyal to Ruto? Absolutely not. And just as we cannot remain with William Ruto, neither can he,” he added.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday, September 28, Kioni claimed that Gachagua is secretly working with Ruto despite publicly presenting himself as an opposition figure.
Kioni claimed that Gachagua has been holding private meetings and cutting backroom deals that contradict his political stance.
He alleged that Gachagua held a secret meeting in Narok County with about 15 local leaders, including members of the clergy.
According to Kioni, the former DP told the group that emissaries from Ruto had already made contact, and that both sides were working on putting their houses in order before officially engaging in negotiations.
“Gachagua told them that William Ruto had already sent emissaries to them and they had an arrangement to put their houses in order and then meet to have a discussion,” he claimed.
Kioni further claimed that during the meeting, Gachagua spoke of vote projections and political bargaining.
He allegedly outlined figures such as seven million votes from the Mt. Kenya region, one million votes from Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, and 800,000 votes from former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
“And he was saying, ‘by that time I will have the 7 million votes from the mountain region, 1 million from Kalonzo and 800,000 from Matiang’i’. I will now have more than half of the cake and I will share some of it with the Maasai community,” he added.
Kioni accused Gachagua of duplicity, arguing that while he publicly positions himself as a critic of Ruto, he is quietly cutting deals that betray the opposition’s cause.
“We would like to work with like-minded parties that actually believe in sending William Ruto home, not in ‘get your people and I get mine’,” he stated.
