Kenya’s political scene was thrown into sharp focus on Sunday after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua used a public rally in Kajiado to criticize ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Gachagua accused Raila of being the real watermelon of Kenyan politics, a tag long associated with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka. He claimed that Raila had no consistency in his political journey, pointing to a repeated pattern of shifting alliances after every major election defeat.
Gachagua told the gathering that Raila’s career has been full of contradictions, where he always ended up partnering with the same leaders he had opposed during campaigns.
He gave examples stretching back to 1997, when Raila had opposed Moi only to later work with him, then moving on to Mwai Kibaki after the 2007 elections, joining Uhuru Kenyatta after 2018, and most recently warming up to William Ruto despite years of rivalry.
According to Gachagua, this sequence of alliances showed that Raila was not committed to a firm political stand, describing him as the true watermelon in Kenya’s political history.
The former Deputy President also defended Kalonzo Musyoka, who for years has been nicknamed watermelon due to his habit of moving between opposition and government. Gachagua argued that the label was misplaced and instead belonged to Raila.
He called Kalonzo a patriotic son of the country, saying that his decisions have often been misunderstood, unlike Raila’s record, which he insisted showed opportunism.
These remarks came shortly after Raila had assured his supporters that ODM still intends to field a presidential candidate in 2027. Raila’s statement was meant to silence speculations that he might once again abandon his ambitions in favor of a deal with other political forces.
However, Gachagua dismissed the assurance, insisting that history shows Raila always compromises after electoral loss, often through negotiations that lead to power-sharing arrangements.
The debate over the watermelon tag is not new in Kenyan politics. It has been used for years to describe leaders seen as indecisive or inconsistent, shifting positions depending on political convenience.
By transferring the name from Kalonzo to Raila, Gachagua reignited discussions about the ODM leader’s legacy and long record of alliances.
Raila’s political journey is marked by several shifts, from cooperating with Daniel arap Moi in the late 1990s, to being part of the Grand Coalition Government with Mwai Kibaki after the disputed 2007 election. Later, he entered into the 2018 Handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta, which reshaped national politics.
Recently, his engagement with William Ruto’s administration has drawn both criticism and praise, with some viewing it as statesmanship while others see it as betrayal of his earlier positions.
Gachagua’s remarks in Kajiado may have been politically charged, but they underlined the recurring question about consistency in Kenyan politics.
The accusation against Raila is not just about his past but also about how he will position himself in the coming 2027 elections, which are already shaping up to be another fierce contest.
