Rigathi Gachagua aimed a dig at his former boss President William Ruto over his perceived anger ahead of an upcoming visit to the Mt. Kenya region.
While addressing a thanksgiving service at PCEA Naivasha Town in Nakuru County on Sunday, December 22, 2024, Gachagua urged Ruto to manage his temper during the visit, emphasizing the importance of addressing key issues affecting the ‘Murima’ region.
The former Deputy President also encouraged the President not to delay his tour further, after already postponing it from January to March 2025. Gachagua noted that residents of Mt. Kenya are eager to engage with Ruto and raise pressing concerns.
“Amesema atakuja hapa milimani mwaka ujao,alikuwa amesema January sasa amesema mwezi wa tatu ati hasira iteremuke. Rais wacha nikushauri usingonje hasira iteremuke, inapanda kwa hivyo kama unaogopa hasira utakuja… kwa hivyo wewe kuja na usikae kwa sababu hii watu wa mlima wako na maswali wanataka kuuliza wewe. Raisi watu wa mlima walikupenda bure,” Gachagua said.
(He said he would come to the mountains next year. Initially, it was January, but now it’s March, supposedly to let anger subside. Mr. President, let me advise you—don’t wait for the anger to subside because it only grows. If you fear the anger, you will still have to come. So just come and don’t delay because the people of this region have questions for you. Mr. Presdient, the people of the mountain loved you unconditionally)
Riggy G added, “Sasa wewe uko na kibarua kubwa sana ukuje uongee na hii watu na usikasirike ukija kuja tu polepole vile ulikuja na bibilia kanisani, kuja na usikuje na hasira kuja uonge na hii watu pole pole.”
(Now, you have a big task ahead to come and talk to these people. When you visit, don’t come with anger. Come as calmly as you did when you brought the Bible to church. Come but don;t come with a temper, come speak to them gently)
Gachagua questioned President Ruto’s focus on the affordable housing project while essential services like roads, electricity, and clean water remain unmet. He argued that Ruto should prioritize completing the projects initiated by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“Projects za Uhuru Kenyatta hakuna ata moja umemaliza, barabara zimesimama, maji imesimama, stima zimesimama na wewe unasema unataka kujengea watu manyumba sasa hii manyumba kama hakuna barabara sasa watu watafika kwa hii manyumba wakipitia wapi? Anasema wacha tujengee watu manyumba lakini watu watajijengea manyumba yao. Wajengee barabara na uwalete maji na stima,” Gachagua said.
(None of Uhuru Kenyatta’s projects have been completed. Roads are stalled, water projects are halted, and electricity is not reaching many areas. Yet, you say you want to build houses for people. But if there are no roads, how will people reach these houses? You say, ‘Let’s build houses,’ but people will build their own homes. Focus on building roads, bringing water, and electricity first)
Gachagua revealed that before his impeachment, he opposed the new university funding model and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), criticizing them as too expensive for ordinary citizens.
“Mimi pale niliambia raisi hii maneno ya University ilikuwa inaendelea vizuri watoto wanasoma kupitia HELB hii umelete ni ya kutatiza watoto wetu it is too expensive anasema wachana na hii maneno wacha tufanye vile tunataka. (I told the President that the university funding system was working well. Students were studying through HELB, but the new model you’ve introduced complicates things for our children. It’s too expensive. “He responded by saying, ‘Forget about that, let’s do things the way we want.)
Gachagua also expressed concerns about the changes to the NHIF, noting that the previous system was affordable.
“Mambo hii ya NHIF ilikuwa inaenda vizuri tulikuwa tunalipa Ksh 500 kwa the whole family ikaletwa yengine nikaambia raisi hii watu hawataki. (The NHIF was working well; we were paying Ksh 500 for the entire family. Then a new system was introduced, and I told the President that the people don’t want it) Gachagua added.
