Raila: Ruto, Gachagua handing state jobs to their tribesmen
Azimio leaders Raila Odinga (second right) and Martha Karua (right) in Kitui on February 21, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga has warned that the country risks becoming ethnically balkanised due to the skewed public appointments made by President William Ruto’s administration.
- Mr Odinga accused President Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua of being biased against communities that opposed their bid while handing their own people the lion’s share of state positions and resources.
- As a result, he said most communities in the country were feeling alienated.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga has warned that the country risks becoming ethnically balkanised due to the skewed public appointments made by President William Ruto’s administration.
Mr Odinga accused President Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua of being biased against communities that opposed their bid while handing their own people the lion’s share of state positions and resources.
As a result, he said most communities in the country were feeling alienated.
“We have seen Mr Ruto and his deputy handing their respective communities more than five cabinet slots each while others have none and yet they claim to be uniting the country,’’ Mr Odinga said in Kitui yesterday during the burial of Mr Gabriel Mutua, the elder brother to his longtime confidante and advisor Prof Makau Mutua.
He said 14 out of the 24 Cabinet secretaries appointed by President Ruto were from Rift Valley and Central regions.
“In Luhya, they gave them two slots, Ukambani got two, Luo Nyanza one, the whole of Coast got one but Central and Rift Valley got nine. Other regions, like Kisii, got none,” Mr Odinga said.
On the appointment of Principal secretaries, Mr Odinga said Dr Ruto had 13 out of the 51 from his own community, while another 13 were from Mr Gachagua’s community.
"Persecuting communities"
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader accused President of persecuting communities that voted against him.
Mr Odinga, who was accompanied by his running mate in last year’s presidential elections, Ms Martha Karua, said matters were not helped by the reckless utterances made by Mr Gachagua.
The DP at the weekend said the Ruto government will first reward its staunch supporters and those who worked hard to put them in office and give the least consideration to people from opposition strongholds.
“This government is a company that has shares. There are owners who have the majority of shares, and those with just a few, while others do not have any. You invested in this government and you must reap. You sowed, tilled, put manure and irrigated, and now it is time to reap,” the DP told a public gathering in Kericho on Sunday.
Mr Odinga said Mr Gachagua’s divisive comments were a true reflection of the bad governance and political machinations the Ruto administration is employing to entrench itself in power.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua said Azimio strongholds will boycott paying taxes to the government unless Mr Gachagua retracts his utterances.
Former Defense Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said Mr Gachagua had violated both the Constitution and his oath of office, which required him to treat all Kenyans equally and without bias or prejudice.
Ms Karua said Azimio will continue to conduct its rallies peacefully. She pledged that they would follow the law as they continued to engage Kenyans on the way forward following the alleged bungling of the presidential elections last year.
