Keep your friendship with the president and leave me alone, Gachagua tells critics

 

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addresses wananchi at Karatina Town, Nyeri County after attending a Scholarship for Orphans and Empowerment Programme in Kutus, Kirinyaga County, organized by the Woman Representative Njeri Maina on June 15, 2024. [DPCS]

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has today told off President William Ruto’s handlers for what he termed a scheme to micro-manage him.

Without naming names, Gachagua said Ruto’s personal assistants and bloggers are to blame for the woes that have befallen him.

Speaking in Kirinyaga County Gachagua said he will however not allow the people who hang around the President to think that they are his bosses and can command and boss him around.

“The problem you are now is because some people who are friends to the President want to be my bosses. These people including PA’s and bloggers want to tell me what to do,” said Gachagua.

An agitated Gachagua said only the people of Kenya, who voted for him and President Ruto can tell him what to do.

“If you are a friend with the president please keep your friendship with him and leave me alone. I cannot confuse the president with his friends... I am not that stupid because I know the difference,” said Gachagua.

He added, “Only my boss whom I know by name and the people of Kenya who voted for us can tell me what to do and not anyone else.”

Gachagua’s sentiments only intensifies political bickering in the ruling UDA party after Ruto’s ally bashed him for his call to unite Mt Kenya and his support for the one man, one shilling, one vote campaign.

A section of UDA legislators has accused Gachagua of sabotaging the presidency.

But the DP said when Ruto was looking for a running mate towards the 2022 General Election, he had so many choices.

According to Gachagua, a small click of politicians was against him being picked as the running mate.

“They campaigned against me but the president applied his mind and decided that Rigathi Gachagua would help him run the affairs of this country. Up to now those politicians have never moved on and they have now regrouped to strike back,” he said.

Gachagua said he endured humiliation including his wife being chased from the Karen meeting where decisions were being made.

“The President picked me and assigned me to deliver votes from the Rift Valley and the Central regions to which I delivered. Rift Valley had a big problem with independent candidates but I managed to sail through,” he said.

Gachagua narrated how his opposers incited the president to cancel the Deputy Presidential Debate because they had the perception that he was not learned and he would goof.

“They are now inciting members of Project 22 against me. They are making noise and hurling insults at me but never voted for us in the first place. They don’t know how we suffered to stand with William Ruto and today they are lecturing us about being loyal to the president,” Gachagua said.

Recently, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah hit at the DP reminding him that his ‘insatiable greed for power and money’ will remain unfulfilled.

Ichung’wah’s remarks were echoed by Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen who accused Gachagua of advancing selfish political goals at the expense of national unity.