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Mbeere North Member of Parliament (MP) Geoffrey Ruku has criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over his sustained attacks on leaders during funerals.

In an address, the MP noted that it is pretentious for the former DP to attack leaders when families are grieving their loved ones solely.

He explained that Gachagua was only pretending to care now that he was removed from office to seek relevance.

Continuing his spiel, MP Ruku described the behaviour as a lack of manners and urged leaders to refrain from politicking during intimate moments such as funerals.

“Wananachi wanataka kazi iendelee, wanataka kuona kazi ikifanywa na maendeleo, tukitengeza mashule zetu in the required standards. When the son of our leader Jusin Muturi had gone missing, I stepped out na nikaongea hio maneno and others were quiet including Gachagua, he was completely quiet and he was the deputy president. When Muguka ilikua inapigwa huyu Gachagua ju kwao hakuna Muguka he was completely quiet,” he said.

“Hatutaki ati wakati watu wetu wanaumia kwa roho ju mtoto wao amekufa, when our brothers and sisters are mourning we are there as leaders stepping on their coffin, shouting at the highest point, that is lack of manners.”

Gachagua’s remarks

MP Ruku’s remarks come amid heightened criticism from the political divide over Gachagua’s stance on abductions.

Speaking during the burial of Eric Mutugi Kivuti, the son of former Senator Lenny Kivuti held in Kanyuambora, Mbeere North Sub County on Friday, January 3, 2025, Gachagua slammed National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah for accusing him of being the mastermind behind the surge of abductions in the country.

“Even now, about the abductions, the President said there were none; he repeated it almost five times. Isn’t that so? Recently, he admitted they exist. Now I’ve seen his puppet, the messenger he uses, lying to Kenyans, saying these abductions are orchestrated by Rigathi Gachagua. Isn’t that nonsense?” the DP posed.

” Isn’t that nonsense? Can you respect the people of Kenya? The people of Kenya are very intelligent, and you are running out of lies.”

Gachagua’s outburst followed Ichung’wah’s claims that he was orchestrating the abductions to taint President William Ruto’s image.