Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said he has no apology to make following his remarks on former head of state Uhuru Kenyatta during President William Ruto’s inauguration ceremony last week.
Bragging of being a straightforward leader, the DP in an interview with NTV on Sunday evening said he committed no wrong by telling Kenyans the ‘truth’.
“I speak the truth irrespective of the occasion. I spoke to the people of Kenya and those who have concerns shouldn’t have about what I said. There should be a concern about the clapping at the event. Kenyans were in agreement with me,” said Mr Gachagua.
He said even in his current position as the deputy president, he will continue to speak the truth claiming that his boss President William Ruto and himself were elected based on that.
“Truth must be said. Even in the years I will be the deputy president, I will speak the truth as it is. I got into a lot of troubles in the previous administration because of being truthful and I will never even for a day keep away from truth,”
“What is wrong with saying that we have inherited a dilapidated economy? That is the truth. What is wrong with saying that state agencies were weaponized against the friends of William Ruto? It is the truth everybody knows,” said DP Gachagua.
He said the country’s economy is at an upending point because Cabinet Secretaries and other senior government officials decided to lie to the former President.
“If officers of government were truthful to Kenyatta, he would not have reached where he has reached today. If they had been truthful that Azimio cannot be sold in the mountains, we would not be where we are today but for me, I am a truthful person and people should get used to it,” said the DP.
Mr Gachagua, however, dismissed claims that he attacked Mr Kenyatta out of personal vendetta noting that he was just barely laying facts on the situation Kenya Kwanza administration has inherited from Jubilee.
“I also needed to tell the people of Kenya that they are finally free. I also needed to tell them that our government will not use state agencies to fight those who are opposed to it. I needed to tell the people of Kenya that they are free to criticize our government however they want. We will continue to tell the truth. To those who are not used to the truth, I am sorry, there is nothing I can do about it,” he said.
Speaking during the inauguration, Mr Gachagua said the country was now free, promising they will guide the country without going after their opponents and critics.
“Today, I want to tell the people of Kenya that you are finally free. Public servants and all people of Kenya you don't have to fear talking through WhatsApp for fear of being recorded,” he said.
He added: “I want to give a word on behalf of our President, that you are free to criticise his government without fear of reprisal.”
On Sunday, DP Gachagua rubbished the claims that the presidency was only for two communities hence there is no need of rotational presidency saying that those who voted for them were within and without Rift Valley and Mount Kenya regions.
“The majority of people who voted for William Ruto are not Kalenjin hence nothing like two communities. The Kikuyu nation, almost four million people voted for Ruto. How can you say that it is rotating in two communities? This is democracy, our Constitution is very clear, if you want to be president, you need 50 percent plus one vote. William Ruto got 50 percent plus one. That is the reality, there is nothing you can do about it,” he said.
Mr Gachagua went ahead: “Is it now that they are talking about two communities but when it came from Mwai Kibaki to Uhuru Kenyatta there were no concerns? When it came to Uhuru Kenyatta son of Jomo Kenyatta, it was even worse but nobody was talking about it. One family, no one was talking then. Now that two people whose parents are not known, villagers who have no reference, no address have been voted in office, people can now talk about two communities, why were they not talking before?”
On the Mount Kenya kingpin, the former Mathira MP said despite being the most senior politician in the Central region, he is now a national leader and not a community.
He added that the August 9 General Election has vindicated the mountain from the past stereotypes that the region could not vote a person who is not their own noting that the locals wanted a person with a plan to revive the economy after suffering in the hands of Mr Kenyatta as far as economy is concerned.
