Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has disclosed that he formed an agreement with President William Ruto after Ruto selected him as his running mate in the 2022 elections. Gachagua stated that Ruto aimed for him to secure the Mt. Kenya vote in the fiercely contested election and to play a role in governing afterward.
“When Ruto selected me for the Deputy President position, we agreed on two conditions. One was to help him in running the government and the other was for me to organise things in Mt Kenya. Ruto gave me the DP position because he wanted the Mt Kenya votes. That is the truth. If he dint want the Mt Kenya votes, he would have given the DP seat to someone else,” Gachagua told vernacular stations in an interview on Sunday.
The Deputy President has faced scrutiny for what has been perceived as favoritism towards the Mt. Kenya region. Critics argue that Gachagua should act as a unifying figure for the nation rather than prioritizing the interests of a single region. On July 28, the DP responded to these criticisms, stating that he will unapologetically express his affection for the Mt. Kenya region.
“I’m guilty as charged, I have no defence, that I love my people, care for them and think about them then I’m guilty as charged. It does not mean that because I love my people, I have a problem with the other people. The rest of Kenyans are all our friends, they are my people whom I agree with, we talk the same language and understand each other,” he said.
