Nakuru governor Susan Kihika has launched a scathing attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua while backing President William Ruto's bid for a second term.
In an interview with Kogi's Corner TV show on Labour Day, the first since she returned to Kenya after five months in the United States, the governor dismissed Mr Gachagua's anti Ruto alliance efforts as hot air and headed for defeat.
Ms Kihika said Gachagua's impeachment that happened in October last year was a cut and dry issue that followed due process.
"Gachagua as a Deputy President was speaking too much and doing some strange things. That is not how deputies should behave to their bosses. I was sympathetic to Ruto. Gachagua impeached himself," she said.
“Gachagua cannot blame President Ruto for his woes. In fact, the president tried hard to save him but he was not cautious enough to be saved," the governor said.
She also dismissed Gachagua's persistent declarations that he helped President Ruto win Mt Kenya vote.
"Gachagua lies frequently that he made Mt Kenya vote for Ruto. All of us who won in the Mountain made Mt Kenya people vote for Ruto," she said.
“How many votes can Eugene Wamalwa deliver against President Ruto? Martha Karua has always been there, what can she deliver? The same case with Kalonzo Musyoka. The former DP Rigathi is just causing excitement, but the shock of life awaits him. Rigathi can’t be in the ballot in the next elections unless cleared by the courts.
"You can talk of Matiang’i, he was in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government, and we know what mess he left behind. Matiang’i is the last person to think of as a challenge to President William Ruto. That coalition is a short-lived excitement,” said the Governor.
"President Ruto is going nowhere, mark my word. President Ruto remains the real deal for Mt Kenya and the country at large in the 2027 General Elections."
Governor Kihika added that Deputy President Kithure Kindiki will manage to unite the mountain and deliver its votes in Ruto's basket even when others dismiss him as a yes sir man and an underdog".
"We have no vacuum in Mt Kenya since we have Kindiki who is a sober man. He is not comparable to Gachagua. Kindiki was the real deal all along. Kindiki is unlocking so many things for us. He is respectful, sharp and committed," she explained.
"Kindiki will unite Mt Kenya. He is not an underdog as suspected. Kindiki will deliver the Mountain to Ruto. Mt Kenya anger will subside. Ruto is not one term. He will go for full two terms."
"I know you (Mt Kenya) don't want to hear this, but it must be told: President Ruto is getting development budget right and many stalled things are now being unlocked...it is a matter of time before we start liking him," she added.
"The third president Mwai Kibaki who is highly rated for his transformative rule is always judged using his 10-year rule. President Ruto is doing well so far and following the footsteps of Kibaki," she said.
Ms Kihika described President Ruto as "bright and we were lucky that it was not his competitors who won the 2022 General Elections... This country would have sunk."
"President Ruto is not a liar. He is hardworking and a performer. He is a workaholic. Pending projects give him sleepless nights. We are not being fair to him. In the fullness of time you will appreciate him," the governor said.
Ms Kihika, who has been absent from public glare for half a year, said she had gone for a normal role of a woman of giving birth but she was now back and firing on all cylinders.
"One of the roles of a woman is to give birth. I am a woman. The small break that I took was necessary. No county service delivery stopped. I am now back," she said.
About the storm that had started to build around her absence, Ms Kihika said it was politics being played since she had not sneaked out of office unannounced.
"I had officially written a letter to explain where I was headed to. It was plain and clear that I was to be away to deliver. I have since delivered Jayden and Jonathan who are growing well. These my twins... they are suckling well and people should stop discussing them. They are not politicians," Ms Kihika said.
At the same time, Ms Kihika blamed her Senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche of seeking to gain political capital out of a normal reproductive health issue concerning a fellow woman.
"The only key Nakuru leader who I don't get along within is Senator Tabitha Karanja. But being humane, I don't take offence. In fact I take this opportunity to wish her well,” she said.
"But I can also assure you that she is going through them the wrong way. It was not necessary to politick using my maternal issues and dragging innocent twins into her politics. May she get well soon".
"He had left most of the projects stalled halfway. I have been trying hard to complete them. I have grown vocational training enrolment from Lee Kinyanjui's 1,700 to 5,400 now. My school feeding programmes has seen ECDE centres grow from 1,003 to 1,053 and enrolment going up from 60,000 to 66,00. Food is an enrolment catchment tack," she said.
Regarding the conflict between her administration and Nakuru War Memorial Hospital, Ms Kihika dismissed it as "criminals intending to take over public land and facility using forgery and we are in court already."
She said the conflict to be determined is that of alleged "forgery where that hospital was established after the World War Two to treat white soldiers."
Ms Kihika said she has furnished the courts with suit papers that express her case as based on the facility's land lease.
"Its lease was for 99 years. After the expiry of the lease, the New Constitution states that land reverts to County government. Being a hospital also, health is devolved hence our County Government's task. The management of the hospital went ahead and forged renewal of lease papers," she said.
"Our prayer in court is that it be determined that it is criminal procedure to renew lease for yourself without involving the laid down institutions and procedure," she further said.
The governor said she will insist that War memorial hospital remain closed until it is reverted back to the people of Nakuru and Kenya in general.
"That is why I have insisted that those who were behind the scheme vacate from the facility. They had criminally privatized a public utility land that is 25 acres big and a public health facility sitting on it," she said.
Ms Kihika admitted that her government's cashless technology has run into online cloning fraud, making it be a conduit of fraudulent services.
"Our cashless transaction technology have been corrupted and cloned to be issuing fake receipts. There is fraud. we have stopped its use and we are rebuilding the systems," she said.
"Nakuru has 3 million people already enlisted in SHA. It is working especially for delivering mothers. Don't listen to propaganda...register for it and it will help you during your hour of need," she said.
Ms Kihika said her biggest scare is Nakuru voters' love for one term governors, fearing she might also fall victim.
"My only fear is Nakuru's love to kick out governors after only one term. They started with Mr Kinuthia Mbugua (2013-2017) and then Mr Kinyanjui (2017-2022). Please give me two terms so that I can finish the work deserved for Nakuru residents," she begged.
