At half time, Gachagua's retreat yet to show white smoke

Tuesday marked 23 days since former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua started his 45-day retreat at his Wamunyoro residence.

At the halfway mark of his self-declared conclave, his home has been a beehive of activity.

But no new ground has been broken on the main agenda of the opposition — the identification of one candidate or a formula to settling on the flagbearer to face President William Ruto next year.

He now says the opposition is not in a hurry.

On June 9 when he announced he would keep off public rallies for 45 days to pave way for consultations, Gachagua said this would help pick the opposition candidate.

“I have no other responsibility from today other than to make sure that we have one single presidential candidate against President William Ruto. Once that is achieved, I’ll then get back to the ground and start political mobilization,” said the DCP party leader, a day after the High Court upheld his impeachment by the Senate.

The former DP said he and a 60-member team of elders and professionals would embark of the discussions.

His plan A was to mobilize support from across the country in the event he is picked, while he would involve his people to identify the candidate, if was not the one.

Since then, there has been little or no activity to show progress on the discussions. None of the other opposition principals have visited Wamunyoro.

Sunday’s outburst from Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi blasting the opposition for delaying the issue has piled up pressure on the parties to fast-track the discussions.

“Why are we being cowards? Let us stop saying that we are playing some cards very close to our chest. Which chest?” said Muturi.

The former National Assembly Speaker told his co-principals to confront the matter.

The remarks came just a few hours after Gachagua had said, on Saturday, that they could announce a candidate as late as of May 15, next year, which is the deadline set by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Gachagua claimed that they had agreed that each one of them would go to their political bases to consolidate support before they sit down to agree on who would take the lead.

With 22 days remaining, it remains to be seen if the Wamunyoro retreat would yield to anything, or if Muturi’s pressure would push the parties to settle the discussion.

The DCP party leader has had meetings with grassroots leaders and party aspirants from Nairobi, Laikipia, Kiambu, Nyandarua, Narok counties, and from Gichugu, Githunguri and Othaya constituencies.

Gachagua has also pointed out that other discussions are being held in private and at night with people from the government in order to protect their identity.