Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire has accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of intimidation and interference in Embu County affairs.
Speaking in a press briefing on Thursday, June 26, Mbarire declared her refusal to be silenced, even daring Gachagua to harm her.
"I want to say this to one Rigathi Gachagua, I do not care how strong you may be but you will not intimidate me anymore. I will not stay silent, if you are God take my life today; the worst that can happen to me is dying and you only die once," she said.
Mbarire questioned Gachagua's political motives and criticized what she termed as attempts to gain control through coercion means.
"Why do you think you can get power through the back door? Why do you think that those of us who refused to listen to you do not matter? That it is only your way or no way? You cannot turn Embu County into a battlefield; you cannot claim to love the people of Embu and punish them at the same time," she added.
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Mbarire also directed criticism towards Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji, whom she accused of collaborating with Gachagua.
"Gachagua came here and he is using local leaders including Mukunji who is now his 'spanner boy.' Let him not threaten me; I have this to tell Mukunji, you've only been in politics for 3 years, I have been in politics for 23 years and I want to tell you that the path you are taking is leading you to self-destruction," she further said.
Mbarire's remarks come barely a month after claiming that some government officials are plotting against her.
Speaking on Sunday, June 1, she questioned why some government officials were undermining her despite her strong support for President William Ruto and the current administration.
Mbarire alleged that the government officials hold night meetings in Embu to undermine elected leaders in the county.
"You all know that I am the chairperson of the UDA party, and if there’s anyone who has been targeted for supporting the government, it’s me. I have started noticing that some people are plotting against me, and these are people within the very government I fight for every day.
“Those officers from Nairobi who are coming to Embu to hold night meetings to undermine elected leaders, they have no respect and act like they understand Embu politics better than we do, while we are working around the clock to support this government,” she said.
Mbarire also threatened to mention the names of the government officials if they continued plotting against her.
"We are telling them to stop. They know themselves, and if they continue, I will mention them by name. I have been in politics for a long time, so they shouldn’t mess with me. Otherwise, I will speak out,” she added.
