By Wafula Buke via FB
Hon Rigathi Gachagua, my college mate, my problem in college.
Gachagua’s partnership with William Ruto can be said to be historically ordained. Theirs is amazing consistency in seeking for self.
Gachagua was one of the most expensively dressed students in my days in UON. He was feared too. When he approached, you lowered your voice for security. Truly, he was the only self confessed student I knew who talked to Moi directly and bragged about it. He had his following of handout seekers just like now.
One day, Solomon Ochola, my “ardent supporter” who often carried me shoulder high after rallies was conered by comrade Bildad Kisero . He told me (hall 13 room 101) that Ochola was never a student but was a police officer. He wanted me to disconnect with him. He had been with us for two years as a student and a member of the university choir. In fact when Eliud Owalo ‘s brother died in 1996 we travelled with him to uyoma and only two students cried, him and I.
Word went round about his status as an informer. He approached me alone. “Buke I am not a student. I am an inspector of police. I was sent here by Mr Opil from Nyati house who is in charge of student politics and mwakenya. After the Pro-libya demo you organized, I was sent here to confirm your Libyan connection. I learned that you actually had no connection with Libya.”
He added that Gachagua had misinformed statehouse that I was a project of Libya. “I came here as your enemy but learned that you are a good person. I can help you” He identified police officers in campus who worked under cover as cooks, sweepers, etc. The highest ranked among them was a Sergeant who was a cook but top consultant on university matters was Moi’s friend Gachagua.
The next time we bumped into each other was at Simers Restaurant in NBI. After a brief sitting I left but learned I had dropped an expensive wallet Peter Owino Ranginya had brought me from Norway. I went back. “Your wallet fell from your pocket it’s here. Since there is no money in it and you also have no money, leave it to me” That made sense, I surrendered my gift to a more deserving person.
Against this background, one may salute Gachagua’s consistency. Their partnership with Ruto is a moral bond to stay.
