A photograph showing Mr Gachagua in discussions with former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and former Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has surfaced online, fuelling intense speculation that a new political bloc is rapidly consolidating in response to pressure from President William Ruto's camp.
The meeting comes in the immediate aftermath of explosive claims made by Farouk Kibet, a powerful aide to President Ruto.
Kibet alleged that Gachagua, along with Mithika Linturi and Martha Karua, was now in Uhuru Kenyatta's political "orbit" and was part of a secret plan for the former president's return to power.
The accusation was widely seen as a direct political attack on the former Deputy President and his allies.
Rigathi Gachagua's strategic meeting also follows a fiery public defense from one of his closest confidants, Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa.
The senator had dismissed the widespread criticism of Gachagua for snubbing Raila Odinga's funeral, labelling the controversy a "diversionary tactic" by President Ruto's team.
Thang'wa claimed the noise was designed to distract Kenyans from government failures, including police killings and the unpopular privatisation of state companies.
The former Deputy President had been at the centre of a political firestorm following his conspicuous absence from the late Raila Odinga's funeral services.
His decision to skip the national events was interpreted by many as a calculated political statement, drawing sharp criticism.
The subsequent attack from Farouk Kibet and the defense from Senator Thang'wa have now set the stage for a major political fallout.
This poolside meeting, coming so quickly after the public accusations and defenses, is being interpreted by political observers as a clear and defiant signal from Rigathi Gachagua.
It suggests a swift regrouping of influential leaders from the Mt. Kenya region, who appear to be charting their own course and solidifying their alliance in the face of mounting political pressure.
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