The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi has shared what he says was the reason President William Ruto selected Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate during the 2022 General Election.
According to Muturi, the choice was largely influenced by political strategy and regional considerations.
He claimed that the matter was discussed the night before the official announcement of the deputy presidential candidate.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Channel
Muturi alleges that Ruto called him while he was in Mombasa and asked him to meet in Karen, where they held discussions about who would become the running mate.
During the meeting, Muturi says Ruto explained that leaders within the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) had agreed the running mate should come from within the party and specifically from the Mt Kenya region.
Muturi further claims that although many leaders initially favored Kithure Kindiki for the position, Ruto believed Kindiki lacked the political influence needed to secure strong support in the region.
According to Muturi, Ruto warned that selecting Kindiki at the time could have been politically risky.
“Choosing Kindiki would have been political suicide. It would have jeopardized votes in a region crucial to our electoral success,” Muturi alleged.
In contrast, he said Ruto believed Gachagua had a strong political base and the capacity to mobilize voters across the Mt Kenya counties.
Muturi said he agreed with that reasoning, noting that Gachagua’s selection made sense given the political circumstances at the time.
He added that the decision aimed to strike a balance between party loyalty, regional representation, and the need to mobilize voters in a key electoral region.
According to Muturi, Gachagua eventually delivered the expected support from the Mt Kenya region, validating the strategic thinking behind Ruto’s choice.
Muturi also claimed that Ruto remained firm on his decision even as internal discussions continued within UDA in the days before the announcement.
He further alleged that earlier commitments made to other political figures could not be honored because of party alignment considerations, which also influenced the final decision.
Following Gachagua’s impeachment, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has since been touring various parts of the country highlighting government development projects. UDA allies say the visits have helped him strengthen his political profile ahead of the 2027 elections.
Supporters have also pointed to UDA’s win in the closely contested Mbeere North parliamentary by-election, where Leo Wamuthende secured victory with 15,802 votes, as a sign of Kindiki’s growing political influence in the Mt Kenya region.
