'Return home': Kindiki woos Gachagua allies, promises them Cabinet jobs

Speaking during a meeting with grassroots women leaders in Meru County, Kindiki told leaders allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that they still had a place in government if they chose to rejoin President William Ruto's administration.

He said those who returned would be considered for senior government positions, including Cabinet appointments, while others would receive support to contest elective seats.

"...wale ndugu zangu Munya, Linturi, Kawira, Muturi nimeona walienda kutafuta hifadhi kwingineko, na nimeona wameanza kufanyiwa madharau. Mimi nawaambia warudi nyumbani tufanye kazi pamoja kwa sababu sisi ni kitu kimoja. Wakuje tupangane kwa hii serikali pamoja. Wengine tuwatafutie bendera wakue mawaziri, wengine vitu kubwa. Si sisi ndio kusema?" Kindiki said.

"Sasa unakaa kwa mtu anakutusi, hakuheshimu, anakudharau... na hii madharau haijaanza leo, imekua kwa muda. Lakini mimi naona siku ya madharau iko karibu kuisha. Sasa tunaenda katika siku ya heshima. Wale walikuwa wanatudharau, wanaenda kutupigia saluti kwa sababu Mungu ameamua," he added.

While meeting delegations from Mathioya and Kangema at his Wamunyoro residence, Gachagua dismissed claims that he wanted political parties in the Mt Kenya region to dissolve and join the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), insisting that his party welcomed competition from allied outfits.

However, he maintained that opposition parties should unite behind a single presidential candidate while competing separately for all other elective positions.

"I want to clarify today DCP and Rigathi Gachagua welcome all political parties. They come, we compete fairly. The only thing hatutaki mashindano ni kiti moja ya rais peke yake... hiyo tukubaliane sote," Gachagua said.

His remarks triggered criticism from several opposition leaders.

PNU leader Peter Munya accused Gachagua of using intimidation and disrespectful language against his allies, describing him as a political bully.

"Gachagua is a bully. You saw when he talked about the Governor of Murang'a, calling him kiherehere, and the Governor was attacked by goons when he went to Ol Kalou. We think he needs to act more responsibly when dealing with leaders and all human beings. Use your language in a more courteous manner. You'll go further than you have gone," Munya said during an interview on Citizen TV's JKLive.

"Why are you saying, in the absence of those other leaders of those other parties, why are you telling them to dissolve and join DCP? And you just formed your party the other day. You found these other parties in existence. What has prompted you to think that they should dissolve and join this new outfit?" Muturi posed.

"We are part of the united opposition. Would you rather have us talk about anything—the reorganising, the self-respect, about how things should be? You'd like us to keep quiet until we sit in a boardroom?" Kivuti said.