Aasai

Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu has urged Kenyans not to disqualify former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from presidential contention based on his past record, arguing that democratic leadership must be anchored in fairness, not judgment based on untested claims. Speaking during a joint media interview on Thursday, July 24, 2025, the senator said it was undemocratic to blacklist Gachagua from future leadership without giving him a chance to prove himself at the highest level of office.

Senator Nyutu was reacting to remarks made by Uriri MP Mark Nyamita, who had earlier in the discussion dismissed both Gachagua and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as unsuitable presidential successors. Nyamita alleged that the two were deeply involved in oppressive governance, citing their involvement in enabling or overseeing human rights abuses during their tenure in the previous administration.

Gachagua served as a provincial administrator and later as Deputy President in the Jubilee government, while Matiang’i held powerful cabinet positions including Interior and Education. Nyamita argued that their records were marred by authoritative conduct, and that they should be barred from taking over national leadership due to their links with state repression.

In his defence, Senator Nyutu argued that both Gachagua and Matiang’i operated under administrative chains of command and never held the ultimate seat of power. He said comparing their roles to that of a sitting president such as William Ruto, who commands state machinery and directs national security operations, was both inaccurate and misleading.

“It is unjust to equate Gachagua to Ruto when the latter is the one actually holding presidential power today. Gachagua was a District Officer, a Deputy President—but never the man at the top. You cannot fairly assess his presidential potential without giving him the mandate first,” Nyutu stated firmly during the broadcast.

Nyutu went on to say that denying someone a chance to lead based on assumptions, rather than tested performance at the top, is a violation of democratic values. He argued that the political arena must remain open and impartial, where individuals are judged based on vision, merit, and public trust—not hearsay or historical biases.

“There’s a lot of political injustice when leaders are excluded based on public perception or past roles that were not autonomous. We must give every aspirant, including Gachagua and Matiang’i, a fair platform to express their ambitions. Let Kenyans decide at the ballot,” the senator urged.

On his part, MP Nyamita clarified that his views were personal and not representative of the ODM party’s official position. He emphasized that any official party communication comes from the party leader or spokesperson, not individual members. Despite being a vocal ODM legislator, Nyamita insisted he was sharing his own views on national issues.

Nyamita also condemned the recent wave of abductions and killings across the country, saying such acts must be addressed through serious national dialogue and not political witch-hunts. He stressed that the violence predated Ruto’s administration, and thus solutions must go beyond removing the current president from power.

“I condemn all killings and abductions, but I believe we need to sit down as a nation and reflect deeply. These crises didn’t start with Ruto. Removing him is not the answer. It’s about how we govern and how we treat one another,” Nyamita said, urging leaders to prioritize national unity and security.

He further reiterated that ODM’s agreement with Kenya Kwanza, as outlined in their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), supports the formation of a broad-based government. However, he cautioned that the ongoing discourse on governance should be focused on systemic reform and people-centered policies, not just personalities.