Support Ruto or resign and become Mt. Kenya kingpin, DP Gachagua told

Webuye East Member of Parliament Martin Wanyonyi is now calling upon Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to make a choice and either stand by President William Ruto to fulfil their promises to the Kenyan people or step down and become the key figure in Mt. Kenya politics.

Addressing a gathering in Webuye on Tuesday, the UDA-affiliated MP slammed the Deputy President following the rising political tensions in the ruling party escalated by the Mt. Kenya supremacy battle.

He emphasized that the 2010 Constitution allows MPs to take action against the DP if he fails to comply with the law or does not align with the President’s calls to put aside politics, threatening that legislators may be forced to petition Parliament for Gachagua’s removal.

“If this Mt. Kenya story of kingship continues, we are asking for Riggy G to pave the way for another person to become President Ruto’s deputy. If he will not pave the way, our Constitution is clear on how Parliament can force the Deputy President to step aside or resign for someone else to help Ruto in moving the country forward,” said Wanyonyi.

According to the lawmaker, DP Gachagua’s involvement in Mt. Kenya politics hinders his capacity to deliver to the country as the second-in-command.

Wanyonyi further castigated the DP terming his indulgence in the Central Kenya region politics as “backward and tribal,” hence hindering the nation from moving forward.

“These issues of tribalism, Limuru III are in the past…They are taking the country behind. Anyone who wants to take the country back in the regional politics or tribal politics is an enemy of the people of Kenya and of President Ruto and must resign or pave the way for another person,” he noted.

He further stressed the importance of unity without bias in the region and warned that MPs will have no choice but to introduce a motion in Parliament to address the escalating crisis.

This comes on the back of perceived tension between Gachagua and his boss within the last few weeks after the former claimed there was a scheme by leaders close to President Ruto to throw him under the political bus.

The President on Sunday reiterated his call to Kenyan leaders to veer off from using divisive politics while trying to woo the masses for their support, adding that encouraging tribal divisions in the nation will only retract the gains made in developing the nation and cripple the realisation of his government's ambitious promises.

"I have been in politics for a long time and I understand the dangers of divisive politics based on ethnicity. I urge you not to walk on the slippery road of dividing Kenyans based on tribal affiliations," said Ruto at Amutala Stadium in Bungoma County.

"Let us focus our attention on the transformation of Kenya and not the division of Kenya. I urge all leaders to go that direction."

Despite the President’s appeal, Gachagua seemingly remained defiant and continued his push for regional balkanization, saying he would not abandon his cause and would continue to seek unity among the people of Mt. Kenya.

“It cannot be that Rigathi Gachagua will work alone as if he's in government alone. When your Members of Parliament come to your constituencies ask them where they stand on our unity and the sharing of resources through the ‘one man one vote one shilling’ formula,” he said hours after attending the Madaraka Day celebrations in Bungoma.