The political tension that has been growing in the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has now exploded after President William Ruto’s allies decided to go ballistic against the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagu, Ruto’s Principal Assistant
Although Gachagua did not mention names when he claimed that leaders with proximity with the President were interfering with Mt Kenya leadership, his self-styled ally Kimani Ngunjiri, former Bahati MP had mentioned their names accusing them of bankrolling a section of Mt Kenya leaders to go full throttle on anti Gachagua crusade.
According to Ngunjiri President Ruto’s aide Faruk Kibet, Roads Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi were among the main architects of Gachagua’s criticism and were in the front line to craft a well-oiled strategy to sabotage the second in command.
“They are in the forefront in the incitement campaign and the fight against the Deputy President and they have sufficient funds to carry out their plan, they are the ones leading the meetings together with the youthful leaders from Mt Kenya region,” claimed Ngunjiri.
On Sunday, Gachagua warned a section of the Rift Valley leaders who he accused of meddling with the political affairs of Mt Kenya leaders claiming they had teamed up with a handful of Mt Kenya leaders to plot the 2032 succession game plan.
“There are some leaders from Rift Valley and some youthful leaders from our region who have teamed up to ostensibly strategize on 2032 succession, they want to inherit President Ruto when he is alive… the problem, is a few leaders of this region who have proximity to the President, interfering with our politics while lying to people that they are planning 2032 succession politics,” Gachagua.
Gachagua also urged the elected leaders to focus on their electoral zones as opposed to crisscrossing to other areas in what he described as political tourism and asked the Rift Valley region to plot about their region’s political way forward and leave Mt Kenya region alone.
“Leave us alone to manage our things, you may plan yours we meet at the middle, and if the youthful leaders continue they will destroy our political arrangement and cause conflict the mountain is now unsettled and feeling bad that a few people from here are trying to interfere with leaders from Mt Kenya region, it is not beyond reproach yet and can be mended,” he said while in Rift Valley.
The upshot of Gachagua’s claims is that the leaders from Rift Valley have joined hands with the youthful leader’s form Mt Kenya leaders who include MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) Mwangi Kiunjuri (Laikipia East) and former Government strategist Dennis Itumbi to unsettle Gachagua’s political ambitions.
Gachagua’s ally and Embakasi North MP James Gakuya claimed the above leaders were being used by the President to soil Gachagua’s name and make him look like he does not have a national appeal and push a narrative that Nyoro was the most suitable leader to replace Gachagua as Ruto’s running mate for 2027 reelection game plan.
However, Ruto’s allies both from Rift Valley and Mt Kenya region have decided to take the bull by its horns and to face the President’s deputy head on where they accused him of pushing a retrogressive card; that of asking the elected leaders to remain in their electoral zones even as denied claims of political tourism claiming they were on a political development.
Yesterday, Kiunjuri denied the collaborator’s tag as described by Gachagua and claimed it was Gachagua who had the same qualities and accusing him of being an activist in the one man one vote one-shilling revenue sharing formula as opposed to using his powers to push for the formula.
“The motion can be brought through cabinet which is usually done through the leader of majority. Those people who are yapping on the streets are members of that cabinet. They have the power to even collect signatures for a constitutional review. What exactly are they telling us? They are actually playing political activism.” Kiunjuri said.
While accusing Gachagua of forcing himself to people to be recognize as kingpin and issuing threats to leaders to commandeer them, Kiunjuri claimed Gachagua, despite being the senior most political leader from Mt Kenya region, he had no clout to be the region’s kingpin.
“Why do you want to force yourself on people? Where have you ever heard a leader forcing himself on others, leadership is cultivated to a point where you gain acceptability by people; it is not earned by inflicting fear on them. You can earn leadership through fear or by respect.
While comparing the second in command with a qualified clergy with no experience, Kiunjuri added “If you pursue theology to become a Reverend and you are conferred a degree and you even further your studies to be called a professor but you have never been in active preaching you can’t argue with the church elder who has been in church for over 70 years and he know how to preach since he has read the Bible for over 70 years and you can’t go disrespecting them”.
On his part, Itumbi took to his social media platform to respond to Gakuya saying “Our call for generational change is not about disregarding the past but learning and benefitting from mentorship. Generational Change is just a voice of the majority saying, we appreciate those before us for their guidance and achievements, but we have come of age and we are ready to take our positions in business, careers and politics.
He continued “We are your sons and daughters, we decline the invite to have a tribal conversation.Like many of my generation, the language I speak has never given me an advantage, I therefore decline an invite to discuss Gikùyù supremacy. Gikuyuism benefits a few and I know you would rather we keep it there, in that small circle so that you continue benefiting. The truth is that the Kikuyu narrative is a selfish story, that is why we chose the broader good, a generational change.
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi on Sunday told Gachagua off saying he could not control where he goes or how he handles his political affairs.
“You cannot control where I go. If we all stayed in our respective constituencies then we could not be in government. We had to fly all over the country to ask Kenyans to elect this government. I am not someone you can threaten. I have been threatened enough and this does not move me,” the Mp claimed he would not cease holding fundraisers anywhere in the country, a thing he said he inherited from the President.
Cs Murkomen told the congregants of Kaplomboi Catholic church Sotik Constituency in Bomet that he had no time and luxury to do politics of hatred differences as his only duty was to help the President deliver on his mandate through my docket. “There are people who have problems with us when we tour the country and fellowship with Kenyans over the weekend, yet it is an opportunity for us in the Executive arm of government to come face to face with realities on the ground,” the Cs said.
Other leaders who attended the event included the host MP Francis Sigei, Bomet Senator Hilary Sigei and MPs Japheth Nyakundi (Kitutu Chache). Reuben Kiborek (Mogotio) among others who accused Gachagua of propagating politics of deceit, tribalism, nepotism and division.
Politics of gagging leaders and confining them into their electoral zones is retrogressive and has no place in today’s politics,” Sotik MP said. Mogotio MP Reuben Kiborek said ‘It is retrogressive for a leader to tell leaders not to go to other areas other than where they are elected telling people to stay in his corner but I also need visitors to come in my area and help me in my developmental agenda.
However, Nandi Senator Cherargei said although Gachagua and Ruto enjoyed a cordial working relationship ‘there were a few individuals who wanted to bring a wedge between them.’ “As leadership we shall not allow political conmanship to derail our government. The Presidency deserves absolute respect. If you disrespect Dp Gachagua you are also disrespecting President Ruto,” he told The Standard on phone.
Despite Ruto’s allies stinging remarks against Gachagua, the President’s silence over the matter has added more confusion into the matter as it is not known whether his lieutenants have his blessings or not.
Coincidentally, it is the leaders criticizing Gachagua who represent Ruto in church fundraisers in the region.