Gachagua: I will beat Karua hands down in delivering Mt Kenya votes

Martha Karua

Martha Karua (left) and Rigathi Gachagua.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Leaders allied to Kenya Kwanza Coalition have maintained the Deputy President’s William Ruto led coalition was still dominant in the Mt Kenya region.

The leaders led by the Coalition’s presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua said that despite the naming of Narc Kenya Party leader Martha Karua as Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga running mate, Mt Kenya region was still Dr Ruto’s stronghold.

Speaking during a series of campaign rallies in Nyandarua County, Mr Gachagua who is also the Mathira MP dismissed the capability of Ms Karua of swinging the Mount Kenya vote in favour of Mr Odinga.

He alleged that Mr Odinga has resorted to clinging to his running mate and depend on her to get him the Mt Kenya votes after President Uhuru Kenyatta allegedly took a step back in campaigning for him.

"We are happy that President Kenyatta who Raila thought would get him the Mt Kenya votes has kept away from the campaign trail and now he (Odinga) has opted to cling on Karua.

“Let Odinga know that even if he clings to Karua, and send her to Mt Kenya to campaign for him she will not get him any votes from this region therefore he should be prepared to go to his Bondo home and rest,"  said Mr Gachagua adding that Mt Kenya region has already decided who to support.

Addressing various stopovers at Flyover, Engineer, Ndunyu Njeru, Kariamu, Kasuku, Ol Joro Orok and Mairo Inya towns, Mr Gachagua said that the current regime had failed to assist dairy and potato farmers from the region who contribute immensely to the growth of the economy.

He said after forming the next government, Kenya Kwanza Alliance will solve the problems facing farmers from the county and the entire Mount Kenya region and transform their lives. 

“Our competitors should not be given power because their first priority is to change the constitution.Our is to transform the lives of majority desperate Kenyans,” he said.

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro who had accompanied Mr Gachagua and other leaders from the region said that Dr Ruto was a competent leader who had the solution to challenges facing residents from the region.

“The current government has always failed to pay our senior citizens their monthly stipends promptly and on time, if we form the next government we will be making sure that they are paid before civil servants, MPs and other government employees are paid their salaries,” said Mr Nyoro.

A number of Kenya Kwanza Coalition constituent parties’ leaders from the Mt Kenya region however skipped the Nyandarua Monday campaign trails.

This is as the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) luminaries led by Mr Gachagua continued to persuade residents from the region to only vote for UDA candidates in the August 9 polls.

Though, Chama Cha Kazi party Leader Moses Kuria and his Tujibebe Wakenya counterpart William Kabogo were among other leaders from the region who were expected to attend and address residents from Nyandarua county at various stop overs, the two did not show up at the campaign rallies that were attended by Mr Nyoro, MPs Faith Gitau (Nyandarua), Michael Muchira (Ol Joro Orok), Patrick Mariru (Laikipia West) and other UDA aspirants from the county.

Mr Gachagua told residents during the rallies that being their representative in the Kenya Kwanza Coalition government they should elect only UDA aspirants.

“I am requesting you to stand with our UDA aspirants and elect them on August 9 starting from governor to MCA.This is because I need loyal soldiers with whom I will fight for your interests after we form the next government,” said Mr Gachagua.