President William Ruto has hit out at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of extorting money from businesspeople and aspirants seeking political positions through his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
The President pointed out that Mr Gachagua was demanding millions of shillings from DCP aspirants, including charging KSh50,000 for an aspirant to speak at a political rally.
“He is an extortionist. He is demanding money from those who want to vie for positions using his party ticket. When we gave him the job of fighting alcohol abuse, he extorted money from traders and businesspeople,” he said.
The President also laughed off Mr Gachagua’s claims that he helped him win the presidency. The President wondered how a one-term MP would help an experienced person ascend the presidency.
The President disclosed that during the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) running mate selection process, Gachagua only received four votes from the Mt Kenya MPs Caucus.
He stated that he personally intervened and persuaded the caucus to accept Gachagua, “thinking that he was an old man and a mature person”.
Speaking at Nyangori in Kitutu Masaba Constituency, Nyamira County, on Monday, President Ruto took issue with Mr Gachagua’s claims that people were being paid to attend the President’s political rallies, warning him to respect citizens “because they are intelligent enough to make their own decisions”.
He told him to respect voters and allow them to make independent political choices, criticising Mr Gachagua’s boast that he “carries millions of votes for voters”.
“Please respect Kenyans. You are an extortionist and you have no moral authority to lecture us. Just shut up!” President Ruto told Gachagua.
Explaining that Gachagua has been spreading falsehoods, the President said the former deputy president lied that the Rironi-Mau Summit would not be built and that the Bomas International Convention Complex and Gikomba Market had been sold.
“Contrary to the conmanship, Rironi-Mau Summit road is being built, and the construction of Bomas and Gikomba is being completed,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Ruto said the Government is investing KSh1.2 billion towards the revival and modernisation of tea factories across the country.
This initiative, the President said, is aimed at upgrading the production plants to international standards and giving local factories capacity for value addition so that farmers can fetch higher prices.
He said the Government had already released the money to support the factories.
In the next financial year, the President pointed out, KSh2.5 billion will be allocated to the tea factories to facilitate the transition to cheaper and more efficient sources of energy, including solar power.
At the same time, he said the Government is committed to addressing disparities on the payment of bonuses to farmers in the east and west of Rift Valley.
“There is a problem in the issue of bonus. Some tea factories get more than the others. We are going to address this problem,” he said.
He pointed out that his administration had fulfilled its promises in agriculture and would continue addressing outstanding challenges to ensure farmers earned better returns from their produce.
“We are demonstrating our belief in equity by transforming every part of our country. Like every part of Kenya, Nyamira is getting its fair and equitable share of national resources and development,” the President explained.
He also flagged off the Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Project at Nyangori to benefit 150 households.
“In Kitutu Masaba Constituency, Nyamira County, we are connecting 2,000 homes to power at a cost of KSh160 million,” he stated.
Governors Simba Arati (Kisii) and Amos Nyaribo (Nyamira) called for equal payment of bonus to farmers in east and west of Rift Valley.
“We are being told that tea from the east of Rift Valley is the best. No way. Our tea from the west is equally sweet. Bonuses should be paid equally,” Mr Arati said.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot said the Government should ensure equal treatment of tea farmers in the payment of bonuses.
Cabinet Secretaries Julius Ogamba (Education) and Davis Chirchir (Roads and Transport) and several MPs accompanied the President.
