A section of Mt Kenya legislators drawn from the Jubilee Party made considerate steps in sealing a deal with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The lawmakers aligned with Jubilee, led by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, disclosed that the pact would enable them to champion Mt Kenya interests in the current regime.
A deal with Gachagua would also give them bargaining power in President William Ruto’s administration.
Speaking on Friday, November 25, after a meeting with Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, former Kieni MP Kanini Kega, noted that they were seeking to work closely with Gachagua until the 2027 General Election before deciding their next steps.
Kega, however, dismissed reports that their unity with Gachagua would force them to cut ties with Uhuru’s Jubilee Party.
“The senior most politician that we have at the moment in Mt Kenya is none other than DP Rigathi Gachagua, and we will all be anchored under that umbrella. But people have been misconstruing that we are leaving our political parties to join another political formation,” Kega stated.
“I want to make it clear that we are coming together with our own outfits at the moment. If in future we will be able to work on those other things, then it will be okay. At the moment, I am joining this unity as a member of the Jubilee Party. I am here as director of elections at Jubilee Party,” he added.
According to political analysts, the move is touted to unite Uhuru and Gachagua. Though not on a personal level, it would enable them to advance political interests endorsed by the former head of state in Ruto’s regime.
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) nominee’s sentiments were backed by Governor Kahiga, who insisted that the deal was critical in ensuring the Mt Kenya region taps more resources and development projects from Ruto’s government.
On November 19, Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and the former Nyeri Town Wambugu Ngunjiri insisted that the region was charting a new political path after working with Azimio la Umoja and Raila Odinga in the August 8 General Election.
Wambugu insisted that leaders allied to Uhuru’s Jubilee Party were open to working with Gachagua for their own interests.
“We are in a new reality. Yesterday (Thursday, November 17), we continued discussing our role under this new dispensation. We agreed that, fundamentally, we must seek to add value wherever we can.
“We must also do whatever we can to help this government succeed because its success is ultimately our success, as we are part of the Kenyan community,” Wambugu stated.
Kioni, on the other side, indicated that Mt Kenya had already paid its debt to the Former Prime Minister.
However, Azimio Principal Martha Karua dismissed reports that Mt Kenya leaders were planning to ditch Raila for Ruto. Karua argued that only a section and not all Mt Kenya politicians allied to Uhuru had expressed support for Ruto.
Despite all the talks, former President Uhuru has not yet issued a statement on his political future.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE