Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was last night a darling of Mt Kenya after he mobilized MPs from the region to vote for one of their own defying the choice made by his party UDA in a Parliamentary Group (PG) chaired by President Ruto.
Even though President Ruto who is also the leader of UDA told the MPs that they had free space to elect whoever they want, the party nevertheless drew a list that surprising had no nominee from Mt Kenya region.
The development caused panic within the region and provided DP Gachagua with an opportunity to assert himself and protect the interests of the region as he had sworn to do.
And as the lobbying got intense DP Gachagua or Riggy G, as he is popularly known, summoned all the Mt Kenya MPs irrespective of party lines and they agreed on whom to support who included former Kieni MP Kanini Kega.
Instead of voting for Fred Muteti as agreed during the UDA PG, DP Gachagua mobilized Mt Kenya MPs from all parties to vote for the youthful Maina Karobia from Murang’a County in his (Muteti’s) place.
After Kanini and Karobia emerged victorious, there was celebrations in the political circles and DP Gachagua popularity appeared to be on the rise – especially for uniting Mt Kenya region under one cause despite sharp divisions that had existed only two months ago.
Among the leaders who took to social media to praise DP Gachagua was Jubilee’s nominated MP and former Murang’a County woman representative Sabina Chege.
While thanking MPs from electing Kanini Kega Sabina said, “To all who voted for him and most importantly, thank you to Mt Kenya MPs from across the political divide for uniting on this cause. Asanteni sana.’
She then thanked DP Gachagua for the role he played of mobilising MPs saying Mt Kenya was happy with him.
Political pundits were quick to observe the big role DP Gachagua played during the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) elections especially on the leaders from Mt Kenya.
There has been a growing disquiet among the UDA supporters in Mt Kenya in what they see as favoritism of the Kamba Nation at their expense despite giving President Ruto more votes.
