Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Efforts to reconcile President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua are in top gear after a team comprising of elders from both the Kikuyu and Kalenjin leaders met with the later  over the weekend in a bid to bring the two together.

The team which is expected to meet with Ruto, already met with Gachagua in Eldoret in the presence of Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Boss Shollei.

Sources privy to the ongoing conflict between the two said that the council of elders had already reached out to Ruto and are waiting for State House to set a date to meet with him before convening a joint meeting between the two former allies turned antagonists.

It is understood that a Senator from Mt Kenya region, who has been acting as the go-between the President and Gachagua, due to the cordial relationship he enjoys from both, has been doing everything possible to reconcile them.

“We are waiting for the President to give the team an appointment date, before we can move forward. The first thing we will do is to meet him on his own so that we can hear his side of the story,” said a source who did not want to be named.

Yesterday, Embakasi North MP James Mwangi Gakuya, one of Gachakua’s diehard allies confirmed the efforts to bridge the widening gap between the two.

“Elders from the two communities have been meeting various stakeholders with a view to reconciling them. They have already had a meeting with the DP and are scheduled to meet the President,” Gakuya told the People Daily.

Inciting leaders

And speaking at the weekend, Gachagua who for the first time admitted that all is not well in the ruling party claimed that it was a few politicians from the rift valley region who were inciting leaders from Mt Kenya region to fight him politically.

Although he did not openly admit that efforts to reconcile him with his boss were ongoing, Gachagua told those fighting him to have respect for him and leave Mount Kenya people to plan their own politics.

“The problem is a few leaders from this region (Rift Valley) who have proximity with the president, ndio wanakoroga hi siasa yetu. (They are the reasons behind this problem you are seeing). We supported Ruto on our own and we are continuing to support him, we are asking you not to try and plan our politics of Mt Kenya,” Gachagua declared.

For the last two months, Gachagua has been standing on shaky grounds as politicians allied to President Ruto continue to undermine his authority as the second in command.

Not present

The bad relationship between him and his boss for yet another time came to the open over the weekend as he was not present at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to receive Ruto who jetted back from his official visit to the United States.

Gachagua, backed by a number of politicians from both Mount Kenya and Rift Valley region had instead camped at Ruto’s backyard when he was away in the US. Ruto was instead received by Interior and National Administrattion Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.

Gachagua’s sentiments came even as leaders opposed to him, told him off over his management of Mount Kenya politics.

Speaking separately, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Laikipia East Member of the National Assembly Mwangi Kiunjuri told him off over the current storm in Mt. Kenya region, accusing him of being a political activist.

Kiunjuri said DP Gachagua has the powers to push or lobby for the necessary share of the national cake for Mt Kenya region through relevant institutions of government in which he is the second in command, rather than whining in public platforms.

Speaking during a morning show on Kameme FM, Kiunjuri said Mt Kenya region has a golden opportunity to ask for projects, based on the number of powerful individuals in government from this region.

Sudi, a close ally of the Ruto while speaking during a funds drive in Ainabkoi constituency, Uasin Gishu county also told off Gachagua over his sentiments that a section of leaders from Rift Valley region who are close to Ruto were sowing seeds of discord in Mount Kenya region.