A section of leaders from Mount Kenya region want President William Ruto to drop Rigathi Gachagua as his deputy in the 2027 elections.
Led by Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu and Gatanga Member of Parliament Edward Muriu, the leaders outlined several reasons for wanting Ruto to drop Gachagua and pick Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro instead.
According to the leaders, Gachagua should be dropped in 2027 in favour of Nyoro due to disrespect and limited ability to form friends across board.
“Ruto should drop Gachagua so that he can pick somebody who can be able to make friends across the body, somebody who respects people.” The Murang’a Senator declared.
Nyutu added that Gachagua fails to meet the cut of an individual who can be entrusted with leadership, accusing him of disrespect and treating other leaders like trash.
“We do not want somebody who has been talking about the disrespect that former Presirednt Uhuru Kenyatta had while he is actually worse. He thinks that some of us are trash. So we are saying that this is not the kind of person that you can entrust to lead the nation.” Nyutu added.
The leaders cautioned that having Gachagua as his running mate could be a costly mistake for the president as he is better off with Nyoro.
“So we are saying that Ndindi Nyoro is the person who will save the president in 2027.” The Senator added.
One-term DP and 2032
The leaders called for Gachagua to only serve his current term and allow Nyoro to be Ruto’s running mate and serve as Deputy President in 2027 should the President win a second term.
“Let each one of them be given an opportunity to serve as DP. Rigathi Gachagua to serve one term and Ndindi Nyoro to serve one term from 2027. In 2032 they can decide what to do” Muriu stated.
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The leaders maintain that politicians from Nyeri and Kiambu have received support from across the region and it would be okay for Nyoro who hails from Murang’a to be picked as DP.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria also threw his weight behind Nyoro
“We should support the young leaders in Mount Kenya and thus Ndindi Nyoro should not be fought,” Kuria said.
Rival camps have emerged in UDA, allied to DP Gachagua andt Nyoro who was recently endorsed as Ruto’s successor in 2032 by 15 UDA lawmakers.
The emergence of former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga who wield considerable influence among the youth in the region disgruntled by unfulfilled election pledges have also proved to be a challenge.