Ruto Differs With Gachagua Over Govt Shareholder Remarks
Ruto's sentiments are contrary to Gachagua's constant remarks that the said individuals are shareholders in the government and ought to be given the utmost priority.
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President William Ruto has spoken against remarks made by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that the government belongs to individuals who voted for his administration.
Ruto was speaking in Siaya County during his development tour of the Nyanza region where he maintained that no region in Kenya should be discriminated against based on voting patterns in the last election when it comes to matters of development.
“Let nobody tell you that you are out of this government. You pay taxes and you are Kenyans. This is your government.
"I will not allow any part of Kenya to be discriminated against in terms of development on the basis of political affiliations”. Ruto stated.
Siaya residents show up in large numbers for President William Ruto's rally on October 6, 2023. /PCS
Ruto's sentiments are contrary to Gachagua's constant remarks that the said individuals are shareholders in the government and ought to be given the utmost priority.
In particular, Gachagua had claimed that Ruto’s government is a shareholding company in which only those who supported Kenya Kwanza in the elections are the true shareholders in the government and are given front-row seats when plum jobs and developments are rolled out.
"This government is a shares company. It has the owners who have majority shares, those with minority shares and those that don't have any shares," Gachagua stated.
"You invested in this company owned by William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua you must harvest. You invested and your time to harvest is now... Even they (the opposition) will harvest, but they have to wait for you to finish harvesting."
Opposition leader, Raila Odinga, also criticised Gachagua over his shareholder remarks in past media interviews, stating that the leaders should be striving to unite the nation rather than divide it.
However, Gachagua while speaking during the burial of Teresia Mwangi, mother of Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Johan Mwangi on Saturday, September 23, remained unapologetic over the remarks and clarified his position that there would be those who would be given priority.
“You can’t plant maize and expect to harvest beans. Even at the family level, a mother does not feed her neighbour’s children before her own are fed. I have been accused of being rude and condemned for this fact as it is, but I am not apologetic” Gachagua noted.
Meanwhile, speaking during a tour of Mfangano Island, Homa Bay County, President Ruto opened up on new friendship dynamics with Raila, describing him as his long-time ally and even referring to him as 'his person', an indication of a newfound relationship between him and the former Prime Minister.
He further explained that his 2022 General Election victory was beneficial to him, Raila supporters, and every other Kenyan and that he would work with all politicians to ensure he secured his legacy.
Ruto delighted the crowd by revealing his political journey with Raila which began as far back as the 2007 general elections before they fell out.
He claimed that he was the one who pushed for Raila to be appointed Prime Minister in the 2010 Grand Coalition Government headed by the late former President Mwai Kibaki.
"For him to become a former prime minister, who looked for that post for him? Am I not the one who fought for it alongside other people?
"At that time I was a Raila person. However, since I became President, Raila has become my person. Is there any problem with that?" he stated.
