Gachagua Cancels Meeting On Eve Of 3-Day Maandamano

The postponement of the meeting was announced by Bomet Governor Hilary Barchok on Tuesday, July 18

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Jul 18, 2023 - 10:01 Updated: Jul 18, 2023 - 10:07
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Gachagua Cancels Meeting On Eve Of 3-Day Maandamano
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a meeting with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Assistant Secretary-General and Director Regional Bureau for Africa Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochie in Karen on July 17, 2023. /DPPS

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has cancelled his development tour of Bomet County which was supposed to take place between Wednesday, July 19 and Thursday, July 20.

The meeting with the Bomet County leadership had been planned by the DP to discuss coffee, tea and milk reforms in the country and was to occur on the same days the Azimio la Umoja coalition was to hold mass protests across the country.

The postponement of the meeting was announced by Bomet Governor Hilary Barchok on Tuesday, July 18, who explained that Gachagua had a conflicting matter in his diary that required his urgent attention.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at the Nakuru Showground on July 14, 2023. /DPPS

"Following a joint consultative meeting between Bomet leadership and the office of the Deputy President, the scheduled development visit by His Excellency the Deputy President Hon Rigathi Gachagua that was to take place on 19th and 20th July 2023  in Bomet has been postponed,"  Barchok said in a statement.

"This is due to an unavoidable urgent matter in the DP's diary. Nevertheless, it will allow ample time for the various organs in the country to prepare adequately and ensure everything is set before welcoming the Deputy President at a later date to be announced."

Barchok further used the statement to urge residents not to turn up for the demonstrations on those particular days, alluding that the meeting was cancelled due to the Azimio protests.

“Members of the public are urged to go about their daily businesses in building the nation and ignore calls for illegal demonstrations by selfish politicians who are hell-bent on reversing the gains made by the Kenya Kwanza government so far,” he added.

On Wednesday, July 5, Gachagua announced that he was unable to attend the tea reforms meeting to allow the people and leaders of Bomet County a chance to attend the Londiani prayers.

The prayers came in the wake of a tragic road accident at Londiani junction which led to the death of 52 people.

Gachagua on Friday, July 14 remarked that despite Azimio leader, Raila Odinga pushing the anti-government protests, the government would not invite him for negotiations and ultimately, a possible handshake.

“Let no advisor ask us to negotiate with Raila so that he can be controlled and call off the demonstrations. This is a trend that he has formed,” he affirmed, noting that the government was ready to counter any planned wave of protests.

He added that the government was reluctant to listen to his grievances, claiming that it had intelligence of his thirst for Cabinet Secretary (CS) slots.

Azimio's mass protests took a new angle, and will be staged for three consecutive days a week; Wednesday, July 19, Thursday, July 20 and Friday, July 21, all in efforts to delegitimize President William Ruto's government.

The coalition wants sections of the Finance Act 2023 repealed, cost of living lowered and reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) addressed for them to call off the protests.

Raila Odinga speaking to the press flanked by top Azimio leaders at SKM Centre on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. /RAILA ODINGA

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