President Ruto, DP Gachagua differ over unity call

The Akorino church National Thanksgiving ceremony in Nakuru County on Sunday provided the platform for a head-on encounter between President Ruto and his deputy Gachagua.

For several weeks now, the two leaders have squabbled mainly through proteges; but here in Nakuru, each pressed their trigger. 

“Unity, just like economic agenda will be achieved. The economic development Your Excellency is the BETA, inaanza huko juu, ikikuja juu. The same unity is Bottom Up. Utaanzisha na wewe na bibi yako, because kama kwako nyumbani hakuna amani, hamuwezi sikizana Kenya. Mtoke hapo msikizane kwa Kijiji, kwa location, sub-county, county, alafu Kenya. And that is what we are trying to do,” said Gachagua.

As he stood to perform the duties of welcoming President Ruto to address the gathering, Deputy President Gachagua went all out to defend his campaign for the unity of Mt Kenya and fired back at those accusing him of preaching tribalism. 

“Kwa hivyo Rais, the unity we are calling for is the unity of Kenya, but we are doing it Bottom-Up. I want to say, and I am record, the amount of time I have spent in this County trying to heal the wounds of what had happened before and bring people together. I am a peacemaker and a uniter of people and therefore. Kwa hivyo, rais, ukinikubalia, mimi nitaendela kuunganisha Wakenya through BETA,” he said.

The Deputy President has been under fire from the President and his allies over his ‘one man one shilling’ revenue drive and the vocal campaign to purportedly unite the people of Mt Kenya region.

And for the first time, Gachagua pressed on with the campaign in the presence of President Ruto.

“The unity we call for is not against anybody. It is the unity of purpose so that people with unique challenges and peculiar interests that are specific to themselves so that once we do that, we have one united country,” said Gachagua.

When he stood to address the gathering, President Ruto went for his deputy's jugular.

“Tusichangie maneno ambayo haona maana ambayo inagawanya watu. Unajua sisi Kikuyi yetu ni kidogo. Tuko na vocublary tunajua mwathania agosho, Muriega, Ghai ni Mwega, hapo, sindio,” said Ruto.

“Sasa tunangangana hapo, sasa msiturudishe nyuma tena tutafute dictionary . Naskia iko ngine sasa inaitwa kumerera, sasa hatujajua hiyo ni gani hiyo. Kuna ngine inaitwa Tugunia, sasa jameni si muache tuzoee hii mwadhania agosho na tuendelee mbele.”

In pressing back against his deputy, President Ruto invoked his unity drive with former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“Mimi nilikuja na Mheshimiwa Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013, wakati Kenya hii ilikuwa na changamoto kubwa, na tukawaambia ya kwamba, tunataka kuondoa kisirani, na mashetani ya ukabila kutoka kwa siasa ya Kenya, siasa ya chuki, siasa ya ukabila, siasa ya kutenganisha watu, katika taifa letu la Kenya,” he said.

President Ruto said tribal politics should not be allowed to reverse the gains made in taking the country forward.

“Tunaelewa hasara ya kupanga watu na siasa kwa misingi ya ukabila. Inatuletea hasara kubwa. Tuko na nchi ya baraka, tuko na nchi leo inatumainiwa duniani. Watu wa Sudan wanatungojea Kenya tuwasaidie, watu wa DRC wanangojea Kenya tuwasaidie. This is truly a blessed country; this is truly a God-fearing country,” Ruto added.

Striking a reconciliatory tone, President Ruto appealed for the unity of all Kenyans.

“Tuungane, tushirikiane, tupendane, tusitenganishe Wakenya, tusiwabague, tuwaunganishe tuweze kuenda mbele. I am pleading with my fellow leaders, let us work together for the unity of this great and blessed nation called Kenya,” the president said.

The encounter between President Ruto and his deputy Gachagua cleared all doubt on the state of relations that seemed broken only 18 months into office for the UDA- Kenya Kwanza administration.