Gachagua slams Ruto’s moral campaign, accuses him of hypocrisy

Gachagua, a former close ally of the President, has joined a growing chorus of dissatisfaction with Ruto's call for a whole-of-society approach to addressing youth indiscipline and moral decline.

"Tumekusikia vile umesema, ati watoto wetu wako na tabia mbaya tuwaongeleshe na tuwalee vizuri....tutafanya hivyo rais... hawa watoto ni wetu sisi ndio tuliwazaa," Gachagua remarked.

"Ni kweli kama wako na tabia mbaya tutaendelea kuwalea," he added.

However, Gachagua claimed that Ruto is at the root of moral decadence, citing controversial remarks made by the President in the past.

"Lakini rais hii mambo ya matusi wewe ndiye ulianza," he said. "Si ulisema tuko na mapepo? Si ni yeye alisema?"

"Sasa hii maneno ya matusi juu ya gari yako usikashifu hawa Wakenya," Gachagua added.

The former Deputy President also criticised Ruto's response to public criticisms of his leadership, particularly allegations of abusive language perpetrated by his allies.

"Ukiona hawa wajumbe wakitukanana, ukimwangalia anacheka," Gachagua claimed.

"Anakuanga yeye ndio amewatuma... si mimi namjua? I know him. If you check when they are abusing people, kama wakitukana Natembeya, ukimwangalia alikuwa anapiga mguu chini."

Gachagua also chastised Dadaab MP Farah Maalim, a Ruto ally, for using offensive, gendered language during a rally without receiving reprimands. 

He argued that such behaviour undermines the president's moral authority.

“The leaders around you are using abusive language and are teaching it to our children,” Gachagua said. “While you criticize us for not raising our children properly, you need to first remove the log in your own eye before pointing out the speck in ours.”

Speaking during the commissioning of the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Kerio Valley campus on Thursday, the president urged parents to instil discipline among their children to enable them to become good citizens of the nation. 

His remarks came at a time when there's been a surge in online activism against the recent wave of abductions, with Kenyans holding the State accountable for the vice.

“Parents must be at the centre, making sure that not only are our children in class but also mentor them so that we can build good character and make sure that they don’t get into bad character with people who want to make our children, citizens that will not be good for our nation," Ruto said.