Reason I chose Gachagua as my deputy

On Sunday, President William Ruto revisited the decision-making process behind selecting Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate for the 2022 General Elections.

Speaking at Nakuru Boys High School during the Akorino Annual Prayer Conference, Ruto explained that his choice was against the recommendation of a caucus tasked with helping him choose a deputy.

“Ahead of the 2022 polls, I called these MPs and asked them to help on picking my deputy. These MPs held lots of deliberations and they directed me towards youthful candidates,” he said. “But I told them no, let me settle on Gachagua. It was because I saw Gachagua was my age mate who we could work with him well and agree on many things.”

Ruto emphasised his commitment to mentoring young leaders, stating that his promise to do so was part of his decision to select Gachagua.

“We like assisting other leaders because we shall be happier if we get better leaders than us. That is how we shall have a better country,” Ruto said. “I want to assure young leaders of our commitment to mentor them to become better leaders in future. However, we should respect one another.”

The President also assured Kenyans that tribal politics would not be tolerated under his leadership. “I want to assure Kenyans that we will never have time for tribal politics in this country,” he said.

Ruto highlighted that conflict-ridden countries such as Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Haiti are seeking Kenya’s support to maintain peace, indicating Kenya’s reputation as a blessed and God-fearing nation.

He urged leaders to promote unity and avoid divisive politics. “I want to plead with my fellow leaders not to divide Kenyans. We must unite our people for the sake of peace and development,” he said.

He thanked Nakuru residents for rejecting tribal politics and supporting Kenya Kwanza in the last General Election.

Regarding development in Nakuru County, President Ruto announced that the construction of Itare Dam would resume soon, as previous issues had been resolved.

“In fact on Friday, I will meet with Italy’s Prime Minister over the dam,” he said. He also mentioned plans for a one-gigawatt data center in Naivasha, in collaboration with Eco Cloud, Microsoft, and G42.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua affirmed his belief in national unity and noted the importance of unity across the country.

“My work is to assist you in the management of the affairs of the country. As you champion the economic transformation of the country, I help you from the background,” he stated.

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika emphasized the need for leaders to unite for effective service delivery. “As long as we are fighting, we cannot engage in any meaningful service delivery.

We must put our house in order,” she said. “We do not want disunity. We want a united country and a united people. It’s not of any value to have a disunited country.”

Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki called for equitable revenue sharing and unity among leaders for peace and development. “We can’t abandon [the government] when we worked very hard to bring it to office,” he said.

Cabinet Secretaries Zachary Njeru (Water and Irrigation), Moses Kuria (Public Service), and several MPs were also present at the event.