President William Ruto has explained why he picked Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate amid the widening rift in the UDA party.
Speaking at Nakuru Boys High School grounds on Sunday, June 9, during the Akorino Annual Prayer Conference, the Head of State said that Gachagua was his age mate adding that they would agree on many things.
He mentioned that the caucus that was helping him pick his deputy was pushing him to choose a young leader from the Mt Kenya region but he declined.
"Gachagua is my age mate and we can agree on many things. I told them that although I had picked Gachagua, I would not leave them behind and would instead mentor them," remarked Ruto.
The President told the young leaders in Kenya Kwanza to relax, assuring them he would mentor them.
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“I want to assure young leaders of our commitment to mentor them to become better leaders in the future. However, we should respect one another,” he said.
This comes barely hours after Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa claimed that Gachagua was only voted for by one person in the caucus that was helping Ruto pick his deputy.
The legislator revealed that the majority of the leaders had settled on Kithure Kindiki, now Interior Cabinet Secretary, to be Ruto's running mate before he overruled them and picked Gachagua.
A section of leaders in Kenya Kwanza, led by young leaders from Mt. Kenya and Western regions, have termed Gachagua a 'tribalist' for his push for Mt. Kenya unity.
The Deputy President is also pushing the one man, one vote, one shilling revenue-sharing formula, which has exacerbated his woes in the government, with some leaders terming the formula divisive.
