Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba discussed the origins of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s political challenges, which she believes began when William Ruto selected him as his running mate on May 15, 2022.
During an appearance on Citizen TV on Monday, Wamuchomba explained that many MPs from the Mt Kenya region opposed Gachagua’s selection, preferring Kithure Kindiki, who currently serves as Interior Cabinet Secretary.
“The agreement was that the running mate had to come from the Mt. Kenya region. MPs already in Parliament, including Gachagua, were supposed to convene and nominate one candidate,” she shared.
Wamuchomba revealed that four candidates were proposed for the Deputy President position: Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu MP), Alice Wahome (then Kandara MP), Kithure Kindiki (then Tharaka-Nithi Senator), and Rigathi Gachagua.
In the first round of voting, Nyoro and Wahome were eliminated, leaving Gachagua and Kindiki to compete for the coveted second-in-command position.
“We cast ballots in the room, and Gachagua received five votes, while Kindiki got 11. We decided to gather more support and held a second round of voting,” Wamuchomba explained.
In this second round, Gachagua secured 21 votes, while Kindiki received 38. “We couldn’t agree because the President favored Gachagua, while the majority backed Kindiki. We had to justify why Gachagua was the preferred choice over Kindiki,” she added.
Despite the significant majority favoring Kindiki, Wamuchomba stated that Ruto chose Gachagua, which turned him into a target for political attacks.
“I warned the President that if he picked the popular candidate, those people would undermine him at every turn. They wanted Kindiki, but I urged him to choose someone hardworking and an effective administrator,” Wamuchomba stated.
“His(Gachagua’s) problems began with those who did not support him. They started fights from the word go and all they do is that whenever they have access to the president they will always demean him,” Wamuchomba stated.
The Githunguri lawmaker described the individuals she calls “Mt. Kenya mafias” as those who dislike Deputy President Gachagua because they fear his influence could disrupt their dealings.
According to Wamuchomba, these “mafias” occupy strategic government positions and wield significant power, controlling who can conduct business in the country.
“I want to be honest with you: the people who opposed Rigathi Gachagua are the people who thought that Rigathi Gachagua would block them from doing the dirty deals that they are doing today,” she alleged.
“They are the people who claim they own UDA. They are the people who thought that no one can be elected without their nod,” Wamuchomba added.
She continued, “These are the people who believe they must rubberstamp all deals, including this Adani project; they think they own this country.”
