Deputy President (DP) Rigathi Gachagua has challenged Mt Kenya leaders opposed to his unity calls to face the community.
Speaking on June 5, Gachagua said the leaders should use platforms within the region to oppose the calls. Instead, the DP told the politicians to conduct campaigns and meetings within the Mt Kenya region to challenge him.
“I ask the leaders from this region, please, all politics is local. Listen to the ground; these MCAs know because they spend time on the ground. Leaders from this region who want to fight unity, don’t speak in Western or Rift Valley. Come and speak here,” he said.
“If you think this unity is a bad thing for the Mt Kenya region or is tribalism the way I’m hearing, don’t speak outside there, come and call for a meeting here. Come and speak from here, don’t speak from far.”
Listen to the People-Gachagua
Besides, Gachagua advised the leaders to listen to the concerns of the people who elected them to office.
According to the DP, the leaders should obey the calls by Mt Kenya for the region’s unity.
“Align your thinking and utterances with the people. That is all I do all the time and I have never gotten it wrong. These are the people who will renew or terminate your contract. I listen to the ground and my people who are saying we must be united,” he said.
Gachagua vowed to continue with unity calls, emphasizing that he is not targeting any community or politician.
“I called for the unity of this region, and I’m happy that the ordinary people from this region are united to a man. So, ignore a few noises here and there,” he said.
“We are not being united against anybody or any other region. We are united in purpose so that we can fight for our fair share of the national cake and retain our relevance in the national political discourse.”
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Mudavadi Unity Calls
Speaking in Nandi, Prime Cabinet Secretary (PCS) Musalia Mudavadi urged the leaders to embrace national politics instead of retreating to regional and tribal politics.
“National leaders join the president in promoting freedom and unity, know people from various regions. Let us stop thinking about tribalism,” he said.
The PCS explained that President William Ruto has placed Kenya on the global map and deserves to be respected for his achievements.
He pointed out that Ruto is representing Africa in environmental conservation, agriculture, and debt management schemes.
“The president has earned Kenya a lot of respect internationally. In less than two years, 40 heads of state have visited Kenya, including the King, and others are coming,” Mudavadi said.
Farouk Kibet & Ichung’wah Slam DP
Ruto’s personal assistant, Farouk Kibet, said, “The unity of the country is more important than the personal interest of one person.”
His sentiments were backed by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who dismissed Gachagua’s calls. Ichung’wah accused the DP of trying to use the Mt Kenya region for personal political benefits.
“If you want to lead the people of Kenya, have a plan like Ruto. Have an ideology that you can muster and garner the people of Kenya to follow. But the ideologies of division, ethnicity, personality worship cult, that is politics of the past that has been overtaken by time and generations,” he said.
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Former Lari MP Mburu Kahangara stated that Gachagua did not help Kenya Kwanza win the Mt Kenya votes. Kahangara explained that Ruto’s campaigns made him popular in the region before the 2022 elections.
“By the time we were getting to 2022, the Mt Kenya region was already behind Ruto. Therefore, it is a mistake for someone to say that he delivered the region’s votes to Ruto. The mountain was already behind Ruto, and that’s why he won,” he said.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang accused the DP of championing tribal politics despite his status. Sang said Ruto has gained international respect and should not be dragged into local politics.
“It is a mistake that once you get to the office, you start retreating to the tribal cocoon. It will be tragic for us to pull a global leader, President Ruto, to come to the level of talking about tribal politics,” he said.
Kahiga Defends Gachagua
However, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, an ally of the DP, maintained that Gachagua is the Mt Kenya’s kingpin and represents the votes Ruto won from the region.
“Three million votes from the Mountain made this government secure, and we must respect these votes. The only figure around the 3 million votes is Rigathi Gachagua,” he said.
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