Forgive us: DP Gachagua now apologises to Mama Ngina Kenyatta
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta. Mr Gachagua apologised to the former First Lady for what he called "political madness".
What you need to know:
- Gachagua apologised to the former First Lady for what he termed “political madness” during the 2022 elections.
- Last year, some people believed to be hired political goons raided the Kenyattas’s Northlands estate.
- Local leaders now call for Mr Gachagua and Mr Kenyatta to come together and thrash out their differences for the unity of the Mt Kenya region.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has offered an apology to former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta for what he termed “political madness” during the 2022 General Election campaigns as he stepped up his bid to take control of the Mt Kenya region.
The DP blamed on bad politics the insults former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s mother faced from government loyalists before and after the elections. He was speaking during an interview on Kameme TV yesterday morning.
Kikuyu Council of Elders chairman Wachira Kiago, while maintaining that the “kingship” mantle is still with Mr Kenyatta, said the matter will now be open for debate.
“We need utmost wisdom now that Mr Gachagua has apologised. His people for sure committed sins against Mama Ngina but we are happy with this apology, it reflects remorse. We congratulate him,” Mr Kiago said.
But the apology, he said, needs to be followed up with fulfilment of cultural rites, including slaughtering a goat, in a ceremony to be attended by the aggressors and the aggrieved, who will both publicly declare forgiveness.
Former Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi said Mr Gachagua’s apology came as a good surprise to the community “and many of us who were in the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance cannot hide our elation”.
“What I don’t know is whether the family spokesman, who is Mr Kenyatta will play ball. If he asked me he should ... it is our collective desire that we unite for now in search of development for our people. We can always bid for political fortunes differently at a later stage,” he said.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu said “what I fear is an eruption of sectarian camps that will attempt to defeat the reconciliation drive with the Kenyatta family for selfish gains”. He said the conversation that Mr Gachagua has launched in the region is vital.
During the show, the DP said that “in retrospect, I now agree that our political manners went to the dogs where we abandoned even our cultural dictations and hurled insults at our community’s matriarch”. He added that “it haunts me a great deal, leading me to ask myself how we reached a point of attacking each other like rabid dogs”.
Mr Gachagua pointed out that the degeneration of political discipline to a point where “those of us who were in the United Democratic Alliance exchanged uncouth words with our brothers and sisters in the community who were supporting Azimio was gross”.
On March 27 last year, some people believed to be hired political goons raided the Kenyattas’s Northlands estate, stole sheep and trees, burnt parts of the land and attempted to subdivide the land.
Mr Gachagua said “these are acts that we are not supposed to ever experience again and since our mother, Mama Ngina Kenyatta, is an understanding soul ... I know she will accept our apologies”.
Nominated MP Sabina Chege said the community needs to unite and seek peace with the Kenyatta family”. We cannot pretend not to know the immense space that family occupies in our region and politics aside, the founding father’s family has its history and attachment to the whole region.”
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga said it is time Mr Gachagua and Mr Kenyatta came together and thrashed out their differences for the unity of the Mt Kenya region.
Former administrator Joseph Kaguthi said “the Gachagua apology is a major political happening that puts the Kenyatta family under pressure to reciprocate”.
