By Anderson Ojwang
President William Ruto faced the mountain and took the battle to the doorsteps of his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua, terming him a man at war with everyone.
Ruto landed in the restive Mountain for a five-day development tour as his former deputy also combed the area in what can be said to be a meet-the-people tour.
In an open onslaught on his former ally turned strongest critic, Ruto said Gachagua’s impeachment was his own making, and he should blame himself for the political woes that befell him.
Speaking at Sagana State Lodge, Ruto gave three reasons that contributed to Gachagua’s political Waterloo and squarely blamed them on him.
He also revealed that the government constructed the Wamunyoro road that leads to Gachagua’s home and that he should stop lying about the government’s nonperformance.
“ I have even constructed the Wamunyoro road leading to Gachagua’s home, among other several roads in the region, despite him saying I have done nothing.
I didn’t sign anywhere to have Gachagua impeached. He was impeached because of the several battle fronts he opened, including with the members of the parliament.
Ahead of the 2022 Presidential election, I nominated Gachagua to be my deputy and running mate. I did this of my own volition.
I nominated Gachagua through my one vote. I want to tell you, even after I nominated him, I sat with people from Mt Kenya to explain to them the reason behind my choice.
I worked with President Uhuru Kenyatta during his tenure of office, and because of this, the people of the Mountain trusted me and were ready and eager to vote for me.
I invited the MPs from the region to a meeting in my residence in Karen. I told them that they should nominate one of them who will be my deputy and running mate.
The meeting that started early in the morning at 4.00 pm could not break through a deadlock.
They couldn’t agree on who to nominate, so they came back to me to seek guidance. They asked me if they could choose a candidate through voting.
I told them that that was right and indeed, they voted. Gachagua got 5 votes against Prof Abraham Kindiki Kithuri 27 votes, a resounding win.
When they brought me the result, I asked them to give me time to think. And I will revert to them in due course.
When we finally met again, I told them that I had been accused of favoring and promoting the youthful politicians and ignoring the elderly.
I persuaded them, saying, for us not to be seen to be promoting the youthful politicians such as Ndindi Nyoro, Kimani Ichungwa and Kindiki. Allow me to nominate Gachagua because of his age, and he was fairly older than I.
It was a difficult moment, but they grudgingly accepted the choice. This was three months before the general elections.
After elections, we started working and implementing our manifesto to the people of Kenya, but three issues emerged that were derailing our service delivery.
Gachagua was at war with blogger Dennis Itumbi and he reported him to me. He claimed that Itumbi had written something.
We sat together and cased the matter and even before the dust could settle, there was another case. This time, it was between him and my personal assistant, Faruk Kibet. PA is a small man to fight with.
From Faruk, he accused Ndindi of calling a political meeting in Kiharu constituency and inviting several MPs to the function. After Ndindi, it was Ichungwa and finally, he brought the fight to my doorstep.
Before that, I told him, you are Deputy President, why are you engaging in fights with a blogger, Dennis Itumbi, PA and others, what is the problem?
These are small and petty things, and let’s work for the government, as that is what we will be judged with,” he said.
President Ruto said Gachagua took his fights to members of parliament, who he wanted to kneel before him, or they risk losing their seats by December of last year.
That is how Gachagua mooted his own impeachment, and he suffered the consequences of his fights.
“If you don’t kneel before me, by December you go back home. The MPs decided before December, it was Gachagua to go home and indeed, he went home.
The work of the Deputy President is to help the President. He is the one who goes to the media to defend the president and amplify the various projects undertaken by the government. That is work of the DP to profile government work.
Did you see Rigathi talk about government projects in two years in office? We had a manifesto on health, housing teachers, CBC education model he never spoke about these. If you cannot defend the government, how are we going to run the government? I told my friend, stop the wars.
Then he turned to me, saying I can make you one-term president. I need Sh10 billion to go and talk to and with the people of Mt Kenya and to plan for your politics.
I told him this can’t work. If that is what will make me one term. Let it be. I refused.
When the MPs plotted to impeach him for the first and second time, I intervened and invited MPs two times for meetings to intervene.
On the third one, I called them for a meeting but they refused to come. They told me they would decide and that they were not asking for my vote.
I tried to help, I saved him on the first two impeachments.. Was I elected to serve one person or Kenyans? I don’t need to exchange with Gachagua, the public will decide.
But in a quick rejoinder on his X handle, Gachagua wrote, “ I am now convinced more than ever before that pathological lying is a mental disorder.
The greatest existential threat to our beloved country is outright lying to the people of Kenya without blinking, and failure by a leader to put his team together to harmonise lies. I weep for my country, Kenya”.
