Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has vowed to pursue his push to unite the Mt Kenya region, stating that he was being victimised for advocating for issues other politicians were saying freely without backlash.
Speaking during the burial ceremony of former NACADA CEO, Victor Okioma in Trans Nzoia County on Friday, September 6, 2024, Gachagua lamented that his critics have double standards when it comes to him and other politicians pushing for similar ideas in their regions.
“I want to say all politics is local,” Gachagua said. Adding: “I don’t understand the criteria, because Governor Natembeya usually calls for unity among the Luhya community but I have yet to see a person coming out to declare him a tribalist, but when I call for Mt Kenya unity, it becomes a problem.”
Gachagua challenged regional leaders to push for unity in their various areas, noting that such unity would make it possible to achieve national cohesion.
“You cannot unite the country when communities are divided; when regions are divided; you first put your region together then you reach out to other regions then we have one cohesive country,” Gachagua stated.
“Is there a rule for Mt Kenya region and another for the rest of Kenyans?” Gachagua posed.
Gachagua’s tiff with Ichung’wah
The remarks come just a day after one of Gachagua’s fiercest critics in the Mt Kenya region – leader of the Majority in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah castigated the DP for what he called regionalism.
“Wewe usijaribu kunitisha kwa sababu unafikiria uko na cheo inakaribia rais hapo. Mimi hakuna mtu anawezakunitisha hii Kenya na hii dunia. Niliwaambia naogopa Mwenyezi Mungu pekeyake, uji moto na umeme. Na kama wewe ni mkabila, usiniingize mimi kwa mambo ya ukabila,” Ichung’wah stated.
Loosely translated to: “You should not attempt to threaten me just because you are in a position closer to that of the president. Here in Kenya, no one can threaten me. I told you before that I only fear hot God, hot porridge and electricity.”
During his speech, Ichung’wah also said that bringing on board the Azimio la Umoja coalition party leader to the government had caused some discomfort in a section of leaders.
“Raila Odinga and the people of Nyanza are just as Kenyan as the rest of the people. We were indeed opposed to them during the campaigns but once a government is formed, it has to deliver services to every part of the country,” Ichung’wah added.
The leader of the majority party in the National Assembly took a swipe at Gachagua’s ‘shares’ sentiments, stating that the time for shareholders was long gone.
