Editor's Review

Gachagua reminded the president that he was elected to transform the economy, not to teach parents how to raise their children.

Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua now wants President William Ruto to desist from tying the Kenyan parents to the ongoing abductions.

While promising to stop the atrocities, the president asked the parents to take responsibility for their children's behaviour.

Ruto seemed to suggest that the abductions emanate from moral decadence among the youth, which culminate in social media posts that ridicule leaders.

He, therefore, called on parents to step up and mould their children into responsible citizens.

However, giving his perspective, Gachagua said nothing would warrant the abductions.

Addressing a presser in Kakamega on Sunday, December 29, the former deputy president restated that it is the responsibility of the government to protect the citizenry, adding that the question of morality among the youth should not be an issue to be dangled as an excuse for the state's excesses against civilians.

Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.

Gachagua told the president to focus on the mandate given to him by Kenyans, focus on transforming the economy, order the abduction networks to stop their operations, these as he leaves parenting work to the parents.

"The president just needs to address abductions. That is the work of government. He needs to leave it to parents to decide how they bring up their children and how they know it. We don't need too much government in people's lives. Does he want to tell parents how to bring up their children? It is a lack of respect for the people of Kenya. You were elected to work for Kenyans and mend the economy, not to tell us how to look after our children," he said.

At the same time, Gachagua lauded the young citizenry for its activism and initiative to challenge bad governance.

While urging them to keep up their cause, he counselled them to massively register as voters to be able to weed out the current regime in the next vote.

"These children have no problem; they are just pointing out the ills in society. I want to tell the young people that what they are doing on social media is very good, but it is not enough. Because they have shown patriotism and commitment to liberating our country through the power of the online space, I want to plead with them to go a step further; to take IDs and register as voters. This young generation will sort out the political problems of this country once and for all in 2027," he said.