Rigathi Gachagua Goes after His Critics, Says He Won't Resign

• Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua insists his loyalty is unarguably on the electorate of Kenya, anyone else trails second
• He was responding to the assertion by his critics that he has lately been dissenting from President William Ruto
• In the recent past, Gachagua has strived to brand his politicking to be people-centred, far away from the loyalist who would not spot any misdeed on the side of his boss

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Murang'a: Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says he is listening to what the electorate wants at the expense of being pleasing to President William Ruto.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (pictured) said he would not blindly follow his boss. Photo: Rigathi Gachagua. Source: Facebook

He was responding to critics who had called him out for supposedly dissenting from his boss.

I can't be a sycophant, Gachagua

Gachagua was categorical that he would obey the president and support his agenda but in line with what the lowly Kenyans, whom he calls his employers, want.

He would not blindly toe the line and play sycophancy to the president, he suggested, adding that the president (anyway) has trust in his abilities to deputise him.

"Truth is not something you will not take away from me...at 59 it is too late to start telling me to become a liar, a sycophant and inclined to praise and worship for no good reason,” Gachagua said.

He was speaking on Saturday, June 29, in Murang'a where he officiated a development function.

At the same time, the deputy president restated that he merited the post, declaring that he would not sit back to be dislodged from the power mantle.

Gachagua's one-man, one vote

He sought to mean that he was substantively Kenya's second in command; he said he wouldn't be resigning, as his naysayers urged.

"When he (Ruto) picked me as his running mate he made a speech that defined me as passionate about people issues and truthful," he said.

In the recent past, Gachagua was on the receiving end as political fireworks rented the atmosphere in the ruling UDA party.

Ever since he declared his resolve to unite the Mt Kenya region, and champion the one-man, one vote, one-shilling narrative in the country's revenue-sharing formula, Gachagua registered himself in the bad books of a good chunk of ranking members in the ruling party, and the larger Kenya Kwanza coalition.

Why Gachagua has been challenged to resign

Elected leaders loyal to Ruto had -directly and indirectly- called Gachagua out, labelling him a tribalist.

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa was one such leader.

He challenged the deputy president to give up his seat and retreat to his native region to politick there.

According to Barasa, it is irrational for Gachagua to be only preoccupied with the wellness of Mt Kenya, his native region, despite being in the presidency, which is a symbol of national unity.

Unless Gachagua, by virtue of being second to the president, commits to uniting the whole country and championing the welfare of all Kenyans, the lawmaker asked him to leave his current post and move to Mt Kenya.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.