The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua replied to a Kenyan Gen Z living in the US who challenged him to think beyond the Mt Kenya region in his politics.
Gachagua denied being tribal, saying this label was a government-created narrative used against him because they have no real issues with him. He compared this to how President Ruto allegedly used the same tactic to turn people against former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He also welcomed the fact that many Kenyans ignore such government narratives and defended his record by pointing out that if he were tribal, he wouldn’t have supported Ruto, who is from the Kalenjin community, in the 2022 presidential election.
Addressing the young woman, Valentine Wanjiru Githae, Gachagua said, “My daughter, Gen Z, William Ruto is a master at creating stories that many believe, including me at times. The claim that I am tribal is just one of those stories because they have nothing else to say. But no one listens to it in Kenya. I’m not tribal — if I were, I would have backed Mwaura, who is Kikuyu, not Ruto.”
He advised her not to fall for divisive narratives, reminding her that everyone belongs to a community before identifying as Kenyan.
“Don’t be ashamed of who you are or where you come from,” he said.
Gachagua stressed that he rejects negative ethnicity and added that if standing with his community disqualifies him from leadership, so be it. He emphasized that while all Kenyans belong to the nation, they also come from distinct communities that shape the country.
He highlighted his good relations with various Kenyan communities, mentioning warm receptions in Ukambani, Mombasa, Kilifi, Malindi, Narok, Kajiado, Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, and Kisii, describing himself as a nationalist who also speaks for his roots.
Valentine Wanjiru, representing the youth-led 625 Movement, challenged Gachagua for what she called divisive rhetoric that harms national unity. She urged him to change his approach if he wants to compete effectively against President Ruto in 2027.
Although she acknowledges her Kikuyu background, she warned against ethnic-based politics, saying, “If one tribe claims leadership, others will do the same, and we’ll return to the same problems.”
Wanjiru also criticized Gachagua’s remarks at a Boston rally where he called the Kikuyu the “drivers of the Kenyan economy,” arguing that such statements promote tribal entitlement and overlook contributions from other communities.
