Ruto Must Pick His Running Mate from Mt Kenya, MP Rigathi Gachagua Says

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua insists that Deputy President William Ruto must pick his running mate from the Mount Kenya region.

The first-time MP argues that Ruto had an agreement with leaders from Mt Kenya that his running mate would hail from the vote-rich region.

Gachagua, who is among leaders touted as a possible running mate of Ruto in the August presidential race, said the agreement was made before the deputy president joined forces with ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford-Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula.

"Ruto's running mate must come from the mountain. Before we were joined by the other people, we had our own arrangements that we had discussed and my position has been, whatever had been agreed upon earlier cannot change drastically to the disadvantage of the Mount Kenya region," Gachagua told KTN News in an interview.

The MP noted that he represents the interests of Central Kenya people within the Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA party.

"When I demand the running position for central Kenya, I do so on behalf of the people from the mountain. I do not speak for ANC or Ford Kenya. I speak for the people of the mountain," he stated.

"The decision of who will be running mate for William Ruto will be decided by William Ruto.”

Gachagua clarified that the region is not much concerned about positions, arguing that Central Kenya has held the presidency in the last 10 years but President Kenyatta has not been able to uplift their lives. 

"For me and the people of the mountain, these positions do not matter anymore. The President is from our community and we have suffered more than any other time since independence. We are more interested in programs and economic interventions, and that is what we have discussed with William Ruto," he added.