Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku has waded into the evolving Mt Kenya political landscape revolving around Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Speaking on Thursday, September 19, 2024, Ruku dismissed reports that a section of Mt Kenya lawmakers were planning to impeach DP Gachagua.

The legislator made it clear that is not aware of a scheme aimed at kicking out DP Gachagua from his powerful position.

“Sijui hii maneno ambayo wanasema eti kuna wabunge wanapanga kutoa naibu wa rais yameskia wapi? Wameiona wapi? Hakuna mpango kama hio (Where did they get the information that there is a plan by some MPs to impeach the deputy president? Where did they see the report? There is no such a plan), the Mbeere North MP insisted.

Issue with Gachagua

According to Geoffrey Ruku the bone of contention between a section of Mt Kenya MPs and DP Gachagua is how he is been executing his assigned mandate.

Ruku lamented that the DP neglected the role of being a national leader and reduced himself to only advocating the issues of Mt Kenya.

He thus reprimanded the second in command maintaining that was the reason why a group of MPs endorsed Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to be a link between Mt Kenya East and the Executive.

“Yale tunasema kama umepewa cheo cha kitaifa ni vizuri tukuone pande zote za Kenya ukiongea mambo ya maendeleo na pia uweke mbele mambo ya kuunganisha maeneo hayo (What we are saying is that when you are given a national position, you are expected to traverse various parts of the country to promote the development agenda and foster unity).

“Lakini yale ambayo tumeona, naibu was rais amesahau kazi take ni ya kitaifa ameiona tu ni ya Mlima Kenya (What we have seen so far is that the deputy president has forgotten his role and only focused on the Mt Kenya issue),” Ruku reiterated during an interview with a local radio station.

The MP clarified that Mt Kenya East, after decades of feeling sidelined, is seeking autonomy from the broader Mt Kenya political fold. Ruku expressed the frustration of his region, arguing that it has long been disenfranchised by being grouped under the larger Mt Kenya umbrella, often to its detriment.

Geoffrey Ruku further denounced claims that ongoing Mt Kenya calls for reorganisation are meant to destabilise the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Despite the mounting pressure, DP Gachagua has remained bullish vowing to push for the region’s unity. On the other hand, President William Ruto directed the warring Mt Kenya factions to put aside their political differences and focus on service delivery.