Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's efforts to unite the Mt Kenya region behind him continue to face opposition by the day.
The latest to challenge the deputy president's efforts is Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru, who asked the Mt. Kenya residents to shun tribal politics and instead rally behind President William Ruto’s government.
Waiguru said the divisive politics being advanced by some leaders should be rejected for the sake of the nation's development and unity.
She said the region is solidly behind President Ruto’s government so as to ensure it delivers its development promises to the people.
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The county boss spoke on Saturday, June 1, at Mutitu Polytechnic grounds where she presided over the Madaraka Day fete.
"In 2007, we were in the same situation we are in now. As a leader from Mt. Kenya, I cannot knowingly allow our people to be misled into separating themselves from the rest of Kenyans. When you hear me and other leaders emphasizing that we call ourselves ’Kenyans’ in one voice, we, as Mount Kenyans, are the ones to benefit the most. But if we agree to set ourselves apart from other tribes we will have gone wrong,” said Waiguru.
Waiguru said the region had reaped big from the Kenya Kwanza government and asked residents to reject those who want to separate them from the rest of Kenya.
“We want to be considered Kenyans, not Kikuyus. Kikuyus are all over the country working in different jobs. That is why tribal rhetoric and politics are very dangerous. We want a unified nation because we know how to align ourselves in government, and even now we are in government and still bringing development to our people," the Governor said.
For a time, the deputy president has been camping in the region preaching unity among its natives.
To underscore his seemingly excessive preoccupation with Mt Kenya, Gachagua called for a revenue-sharing formula commensurate with the region's population.
He is also on record declaring that posts in the national government would be hugely reserved for the natives, whom he termed as shareholders, owing to their contribution in the formation of the current regime.
However, even as he camped in his backyard, a host of leaders, both in the ruling coalition and the opposition, came out to castigate his style of politics, accusing him of advancing ethnicity despite being in the presidency, which is a symbol of national unity.
Speaking during the Madaraka Day celebrations in Bungoma, President William Ruto also detested such politics, saying they were outdated.
"Going into the future, I want to promise the people of Kenya, that we will not let down. We will never go back to the politics of ethnicity, personalities, and people not being at the centre. I want to assure you that we will work hard to make sure that our politics is focused on the agenda of developing Kenya and dealing with the challenge of corruption, wasteful spending, and unnecessary use of public resources," said the president.
