Meru Leaders Vow Not to Join Gachagua's Camp Days after His Tour
- Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua carried out a three-day tour to the Meru region in a bid to drum up support for the opposition
- However, just days after the tour, a section of Meru leaders declared that they were not going to join Gachagua's camp
- Led by Meru senator and Deputy Senate Speaker Murungi Kathuri, the leaders highlighted the decision behind their decision
Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya
Looks like former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua's efforts to gain support in Meru have hit a stumbling block.
Source: Facebook
This is as a section of leaders from the region vowed not to support the opposition led by Gachagua.
Why won't Meru leaders support Gachagua?
They affirmed their commitment to President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza government.
Led by Meru senator Murungi Kathuri, the leaders stated that they campaigned for the current government in the 2022 General Election, stating they can't abandon it now.
"We voted. Now you want us to leave the government we installed and be outside it. Is there anything like that in this world? "Kathuri asked.
He cited the instance where the former prime minister fought the Kenya Kwanza government but later became part of it through the formation of the broad-based government.
"After staying in the cold for a while, he saw it fit to speak to the president and build the country. Now you want us who voted for the government to oppose it. It's not possible," he added.
Kathuri further called on the people of Meru to support Ruto and his deputy, Kithure Kindiki, so their region could benefit from development projects.
He seemingly implied that the people of Meru voted for the current government, and thus, they should benefit from it.
The politicians further urged Meru residents to be united in supporting the current regime
"We, as the people of Meru, are behind the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) political party," another politician remarked.
Why did Gachagua tour Meru region
Meru leaders' statement comes just days after Gachagua toured the region in a bid to drum up support for the opposition and his newly formed Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
Gachagua visited various constituencies within the region, attracting large crowds that showed up in order to listen to him.
After his three-day visit, Gachagua expressed his gratitude to the people of the region for their immense support.
Following the massive support he received, he declared that Meru had turned against the Kenya Kwanza government and had joined the opposition.
Gachagua says his team will defeat Ruto
This comes months after Gachagua expressed confidence that his opposition team will defeat President William.
Gachagua argued that his team would defeat Ruto by a big margin, making it unnecessary to dispute the results at the Supreme Court.
Gachagua said that he is targeting around 15 million votes. He stated that the election results will mirror the 2002 election, where Mwai Kibaki defeated Uhuru Kenyatta with a huge margin.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
