Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua has insisted that William Ruto’s running for the August 9 presidential election must come from the Mount Kenya region.

Rigathi said the leaders from the region agreed with the Ruto to pick his deputy from Mount Kenya before Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford-K’s Moses Wetangula joined their camp.

“Ruto’s running mate must come from the mountain. Before we were joined by the other people, we had our own arrangements that we had discussed and my position has been, whatever had been agreed upon earlier cannot change drastically to the disadvantage of the Mount Kenya region,” Rigathi said when he appeared at a local television station on Sunday evening.

He further said his position in the Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance is to fight for the interest of the Mount Kenya region.

“We I demand the running position for central Kenya, I do so on behalf of the people from the mountain. I do not speak for ANC or Ford Kenya. Speak for the people of the mountain,” he stated.

He further said the naming of the deputy president for Kenya Kwanza is a preserve of Ruto.

“The decision of who will be running mate for William Ruto will be decided by William Ruto,” he added.

Rigathi, however, said the mountain is not so much concerned about positions, saying President Uhuru Kenyatta is from the region and yet he has not been able to “uplift” the residents economically.

“For me and the people of the mountain, these positions do not matter anymore. The President is from our community and we have suffered more than any other time since independence.

“We are more interested in programs and economic interventions, and that is what we have discussed with William Ruto,” he said.