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Rigathi Gachagua Accuses Matiang’i And Kibicho Of Using Chiefs To Campaign For Azimio La Umoja

SK 2 years ago 2 min read

Rigathi Gachagua, the vice presidential nominee for the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, has kept up his criticism of Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and his principal secretary Karanja Kibicho.

Speaking in Kajiado County on Saturday, Gachagua took aim at the two government employees, accusing them of trying to persuade the chiefs and their administrators to support Raila Odinga, the leader of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya, in the August elections.

He came at Kibicho and Matiang’i with full force, telling them their efforts would be in vain because President Uhuru Kenyatta’s efforts had also met with failure.

“I want to tell Matiang’i and Kibicho, if the president has tried to coerce us to join Azimio we have refused, they are now planning that chiefs and their assistants force you to elect Raila, will it be possible?” Gachagua posed to the residents.

The Mathira MP claimed that administrators’ legal obligation was to serve the inhabitants in their localities, thereby downplaying their role in persuading voters to choose Odinga.As he reprimanded the administrators, the lawmaker angrily emphasized the chiefs’ responsibilities and pleaded with them to uphold their constitutional responsibilities and refrain from engaging in politics.

“Hakuna mtu anabebewa akili na chief, can a chief tell you where to vote? We have refused to be advised by the president. Wewe chief kama unataka kuambia mtu mahali ya kupiga kura, enda uambia bibi yako,” Gachagua remarked.
“Kazi ya chief ni kutengeneza mambo ya mipaka, atuandikie barua ya kitambulisho…kama bibi ya mtu ametoroka tafuta bibi urudishie mwenyewe; si hio ndio kazi ya chief?”

As he wooed electorates to vote for DP William Ruto in the August polls, Gachagua reassured that the next government would look out for the interests and welfare of the administrators.

“Our chiefs do not have any problem, they are being forced. We want to assure you that we will protect you, increase your salaries and you will never be used by the state again in the history of our country,” he promised.

The remarks come hours after Matiang’i and Kibicho insisted that they would not be cowed to holding meetings with the administrators and giving their people political advice.

“When we are here in Nyamira, imagine the kind of impression we would leave here if we had not met the chiefs whom we work with? When we meet them they start complaining…we are only discussing work-related issues and planning how our people will remain united and uphold peace,” the CS told Nyamira residents.

“If we ask you to elect integral leaders, we are not telling you who they are. We are simply saying you to pick the candidate who passes the integrity test,” added Kibicho.