Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Azimio la Umoja principal Martha Karua made a strong political statement when they met on Saturday with details of their pact emerging.
From their speech during the meeting, the two leaders gave insights into their mission, the subject of their discussion and their shared aspirations to make Kenya a better nation.
The two leaders noted that they are keen on pushing back on President Ruto’s administration, accusing the president of leading Kenya in the wrong direction.
Karua explains reason for uniting with Gachagua
Karua noted that developments in Kenya’s political space has seen people determined to oppress regroup, making it necessary for those determined to liberate Kenya to also regroup.
When people determined to oppress a group regroup, people determined to liberate must regroup. That is why all Kenyans of goodwill must join hands. We must push back and get our rights.
READ: Gachagua's unique choice of gifts presented to Karua & their significance
We are saying No to making Kenya the capital of abduction in East Africa. We must push back. Fear is not an option. Even if you are afraid, they will still come for you wherever you are hiding.
Karua reiterated her commitment to stop the further descent of Kenya’s democracy, claiming that Ruto is on his way to making Kenya a dictatorship.
We will not allow you to graduate as a dictator. We will stop that graduation.
Gachagua puts Ruto on notice
Gachagua noted under President Ruto, Kenya has been on a downward spiral with theft of public funds, police brutality and over taxation being a constant.
The country is on a downward spiral in matters of the economy, theft of public funds, corruption, intolerance, and depression. Since the time of the white colonialists, brutal as they were, they never went for our children. This is the first time that a government has gone for the children... our Gen Z. I want to encourage our children that they are on the right side of history.
Gachagua also admitted that he admires Karua’s leadership, consistency and integrity even when they were on opposite sides and hinted at forming a political movement that will sweep Ruto out of power in 2027 elections.
Martha, we are proud of you, and I want to say that from the bottom of my heart, even as we were fighting, I was still admiring your leadership. I wish you were in our team. Now that we are together, we are going to form a formidable team with the rest of Kenyans.
READ: Karua meets Gachagua in her home in Kirinyaga amid talk of new alliance
Gachagua accused President Ruto of harbouring bitterness after failing to deliver on his pledges and deceiving the people of Mount Kenya.
We know he is unhappy, we know he is frustrated, we know he is bitter that our people have left him. But it is not us who rejected him. I told him not to touch the mountain, but he touched it. I told him the people of this region don’t like betrayal—he betrayed us. I told him the people of this region hate deception—he deceived us. This problem is his own doing. So frustrated as he is, bitter as he is, let him relax. Had we been tribal, we would not have voted for him and Raila. We would have gone for our own candidate, Waihiga Mwaure.
Following his impeachment, Gachagua has turned into a fierce critic of an administration he once served.