Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood has insisted that President William Ruto had the support of the Mount Kenya region even before selecting Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate.

Dawood’s comments come amid suggestions that impeaching the Deputy President could lead to Ruto losing Mount Kenya’s backing.

Dawood on Ruto

Speaking to the media in his constituency, Dawood emphasized that Ruto was already a popular figure in the region before settling on his running mate in the lead-up to the 2022 elections.

“Mimi naona kama President alikuwa na mount Kenya irrespective of deputy president Rigathi Gachagua. Naibu wa Rais alichaguliwa baada ya wajumbe walikuwa Karen walisema Naibu wa Rais alikuwa anastahili kuwa Kithure Kindiki. Lakini Rais mwenye kwa hiari yake alisema anataka Rigathi. “Choice ya wale walikuwa Karen ilikuwa Kindiki. So kupoteza Mountain apana.

“(I believe the President already had Mount Kenya’s support, regardless of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. The Deputy President was selected after delegates in Karen suggested that the position should go to Kithure Kindiki. However, the President, by his own choice, opted for Rigathi. The delegates wanted Kindiki, so losing the Mountain region is not possible),” he stated.

The MP further revealed that Gachagua had threatened several Mount Kenya MPs, stating that the lawmakers must apologize to him by December or risk losing their seats.

He added that such threats would make it difficult for Gachagua to win the support of Mount Kenya MPs.

“Naibu wa Rais ametupatia warning wajumbe wa Mount Kenya akituambia kabla ya December tusipoomba msamaha tutapoteza viti zetu, 2027. Sasa akitustua, hakuna vile atakuwa na wajumbe wa Mount Kenya. Na Rais mwenyewe ataweka mikakati ya kutafuta mlima kama kutakuwa na impeachment, mlima si ya mtu mmoja. Akikuwa impeach hawezi kusimama tena 2027 na sitasema kama nimesign ama sijasign tunangojea hio maneno.

“(The Deputy President has warned Mount Kenya MPs, telling us that if we do not apologize by December, we will lose our seats in 2027. If he continues with these threats, he won’t have the backing of Mount Kenya lawmakers. The President himself will strategize to win the Mountain’s support if there is an impeachment, as the Mountain doesn’t belong to one person. If he’s impeached, he won’t vie again in 2027. I won’t say whether I’ve signed or not, but we are waiting for the outcome),” he added.

Earlier in the interview, Dawood mentioned that talks of Gachagua’s impeachment began without any formal plans, and that it would be better if the two leaders opted for dialogue instead.

“Naibu wa Rais ametaja mara nyingi na niseme, hii maneno wasikizane. Ile mkataba walikuwa na Rais hatukujua ni nini. Na sababu ya hao kukosana. Lakini wiki hii Rais amekuwa ng’ambo, nimesikia mara nyingi Naibu wa Rais wakitoka na watu yake na kumkosea Rais heshima. Ukimkosea Rais heshima ni kukosea nchi mzima heshima,”

“(The Deputy President has mentioned several times, and let me say, they need to reconcile. We did not know the agreement they had with the President, nor the reason for their fallout. But this week, while the President was abroad, I have heard many instances of the Deputy President and his people disrespecting the President. Disrespecting the President is disrespecting the entire country),” he noted.

Dawood on Gachagua claims

Dawood concluded by saying that Gachagua himself had raised the issue of impeachment, even though no such discussions were ongoing at the time.

“Naibu wa Rais mwenyewe alisema anakuwa impeached wakati hio maneno haikukua. Sasa kama ameitisha wacha itakuja labda. Kwa wiki moja tutajua mahali maneno imefikia.

“(The Deputy President himself spoke about being impeached when that wasn’t even on the table. Now that he’s called for it, let it come. In a week’s time, we will know where things stand),” he concluded.