Unity
Nyeri Town MP Duncan Maina Mathenge has differed with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over his rallying call aimed at uniting the Mount Kenya region. Short of dismissing the efforts in toto, Mathenge has warned that such a move should never be pursued at the expense of excluding other parts of the country.
His sentiments come at a time Gachagua is pushing for the unanimity of the 15 counties that make the Central region voting bloc arguing that such an undertaking will ensure the area remains relevant in the country’s political matrix. But the MP has faulted the second in command on the move and advised him to pursue a more nationalistic approach in his campaign since his office is a symbol of national unity.
“It’s the responsibility of the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to safeguard the interests of the nation. He has to promote the unity of the entire country. In pursuit of our unity we must be careful to remember we have ties with the rest of the country. We can pursue unity without alienating any community in this country; This is what I am praying for,” said the lawmaker during Monday’s Citizen Day Break show.
Mathenge also distanced himself from the one-man, one-vote, one-shilling revenue sharing formulae crusade and warned those behind the mantra they risk being perceived as mere self-seekers. He has also vowed to remain loyal to both President Dr William Ruto and his deputy but was quick to add that his first priority will be in serving the people of his Constituency.
“The people who voted for me did not do so because I was following someone, or I was to follow someone. They voted for me because they believed in the things that I had spoken about in the past. Today I would be the saddest person in Mount Kenya region if moving forward the election will be determined on the basis of whether I followed the Deputy President or President everywhere they went,” he stated.
On Sunday, while attending a church service in Meru, Gachagua revisited the emotive subject of uniting the Central region which appeared to have rubbed a section of politicians the wrong way. He argued that politics was about the scramble for resources, and it was therefore in order for him to be pushing the agenda for the sake of the interests of the region.
“What is wrong with fighting for unity? We must fight for resources and fulfil what we promised our people after the election. I was a very bitter man after the election, it was very divisive, but my wife prayed for me and I have forgiven people in this region, what is wrong with forgiving each other and uniting as a region?” posed Gachagua.
And while attending a musical extravaganza in Nanyuki town on Saturday that had brought together artists from the Mt Kenya region, Gachagua claimed the region had been infiltrated by ‘traitors’ who were on a mission to divide the people of Mount Kenya region.
He added that those who were not helping him to drum up support for the region’s unity should be earmarked and punished at the ballot while likening them to Africans who collaborated with the British colonial government in Kenya.
“It cannot be that Rigathi Gachagua will work alone as if he’s in government alone. When your members of Parliament come to your constituencies ask them where they stand on our unity and the sharing of resources through the one man, one vote, one-shilling formula,” he said.
“When you see me move around Mt Kenya and you do not see them with me, ask them why they are not with their leader. And I want you to listen to them because when they speak it is not them speaking, if you closely look at them they are not supposed to be speaking in that manner. These are the people we should be cautious about,” he added.