DP Rigathi Gachagua seeks Kenya Kwanza unity as lawmakers support ‘shares’ claims
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua cuts a ribbon during the launch of the Narok West Constituency Strategic Plan (2023-2027) and commissioning of 38 mobile laboratories for junior secondary schools on Wednesday, October 11.
What you need to know:
- The talks that those who vote for the ruling party have more shares in the government has stirred outrage.
- The assertions that State jobs and resources be dished out based on how regions voted has President Ruto the wrong way.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has vowed to continue with his mission to unite voters in Kenya Kwanza strongholds ahead of the 2027 General Election.
This comes even as seven United Democratic Alliance (UDA) MPs backed Mr Gachagua in demanding that those who voted for President William Ruto in last year’s election should get a lion's share of jobs and resources.
“Over the past two months, I have been on a mission to unite UDA strongholds in the country and I will continue to do that until the next General Election," Mr Gachagua said on Wednesday.
Mr Gachagua’s oft-stated position that government jobs and resources be dished out based how regions voted has rubbed President Ruto the wrong way.
The Head of State has dismissed the DP’s metaphor of the government being a limited liability company whose biggest shareholders are regions that voted for Kenya Kwanza as “primitive” talk.
Dr Ruto said in Kisumu last week that all Kenyans paid taxes irrespective of party affiliation or voting patterns and deserved equal access to government services. Mr Gachagua on Wednesday at Kishermoruak Boys Secondary School presided over the launch of Narok West Constituency's five year strategic plan.
He was accompanied by Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu MPs Gabriel Tongoyo (Narok West), Francis Sigei (Sotik), Sitati Wanyama (Webuye West), John Gitonga (Manyatta), Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), Benjamin Gathiru (Embakasi Central) and East African Legislative Assembly MP David Sankok.
MPs at the function backed Mr Gachagua’s stance on resource allocation despite the backlash from the public.
“I have heard people telling the Deputy President to stop his mission to unite the country but we are telling him today to go full throttle and bring the people together,” Mr Gitonga said.
Mr Mbai said Opposition zones should not get as many development projects as the regions that voted for the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Dr Ruto has been in the Nyanza region for five days and we have been following closely. I want to state that we have to be careful not to lose our original script and agenda as the Kenya Kwanza Alliance,” Mr Mbai said.
Mr Sigei said those who voted for Kenya Kwanza should be considered first in the distribution of development projects.
Mr Wanyama said: “The trend the government is taking has the potential of estranging voters in Kenya Kwanza strongholds. We have to be careful with what we are doing.”
Mr Gathiru said it was important for Kenya Kwanza to focus on areas whose voters rallied behind Dr Ruto and its parliamentary candidates.
Mr Gachagua lauded the deployment of mobile laboratories manufactured by the Schools Equipment Production Unit under the Ministry of Education.
“Provision of mobile laboratories for students is a noble and novel way of making education affordable for all. It is important for members of Parliament to borrow a leaf from Mr Tongoyo’s initiative,” Mr Gachagua said.
