Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called for an end to succession talk in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, which threatens to divide the government right in the middle, hardly two years after it bounced to power.
The DP urged Members of Parliament and other leaders to focus on assisting President William Ruto to deliver on his mandate in the Kenya Kwanza administration.
It comes in the backdrop of a public spat between Mr Gachagua and a section of youthful MPs from his Mount Kenya backyard and Rift Valley region which are considered the key UDA party bases in the country.
Mr Gachagua said there was a need to bring down the high political temperatures prevailing in the party that has in the last few weeks seen politicians exchange brickbats in public functions, setting their supporters against each other.
“The succession politics is unnecessary, unhealthy, unhelpful, inappropriate and irritating,” Mr Gachagua said in Kericho county on Saturday.
Mr Gachagua said he was the most dependable pillar in Dr Ruto’s administration and Kenyans should ignore politicians who do not subscribe to the UDA philosophy and were working round the clock to foment division in the party.
“The most important business of the day, which we must focus on as leaders, is to assist the President to deliver on his mandate. The 2032 succession politics should be put to the back burner,” Mr Gachagua said.
Speaking during a fundraiser at PMCA Church, Kipkok, in Soin Sigowet constituency, the DP said the people expected a lot from the Kenya Kwanza administration and the leaders should not waste time with empty political rhetoric with the potential to cause division among the people.
“We do not have the luxury of delving into succession politics now. We should stop this divisive talk as we are barely two and a half years in government,” Mr Gachagua said.
The DP said the focus among the leaders is to unite and rally supporters behind President Ruto ahead of the next general election and avoid sideshows that have characterised the political landscape in the past few weeks.
“When the President wanted a firm leader as his running mate, I was readily available and fit for the role. I remain a key pillar of his administration,” Mr Gachagua said of his relationship with his boss, the President.
He said those who do not subscribe to UDA's political philosophy and development agenda should keep off its affairs.
“We have our agenda as a party and those who are not on our side should leave us alone. We will stick to our plan and we will lead from the front in bringing the people together and delivering on our mandate,” Mr Gachagua said.
Mr Gachuagua said in the function attended by Kericho Governor Erick Mutai, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Soin Sigowet MP Justus Kemei, Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno, Kericho Woman Representative Beatrice Kemei, former Mosop MP Vincent Tuwei and Speaker of the Kericho County Assembly Patrick Mutai, that there is a need for unity of purpose in the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Politics is a mathematical game. We do not have subtractions but only additions as we seek to expand our base,” Mr Gachagua said.
Senator Cheruiyot said there was no fallout in UDA as what was happening was the embracing of all the tenets of democracy in a political space.
