NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 8 – President William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, seem to have differing perspectives regarding the allocation of developmental projects in various regions of the country.
While President Ruto has been advocating for his administration to prioritize nationwide development, irrespective of the voting patterns in the 2022 elections, his deputy holds a contrasting stance.
Gachagua maintains that those who supported the Kenya Kwanza government overwhelmingly during the election should be given precedence as they are the major stakeholders.
The contrast between the nation’s two highest-ranking leaders regarding the core development issue has exposed their lack of cohesion, just over a year after they took their oaths of office.
“I am determined to break the barriers that development is for a select few. I want to assure all of you that every Kenyan who pays taxes will get development,” President Ruto said on Sunday during a church service in Migori County.
President Ruto emphasized that his administration aims to serve all Kenyans, irrespective of their political affiliations.
President Ruto, who began his tour of the larger Nyanza region on October 6, 2023, has been advocating for equal development in every part of the country leaving his deputy isolated with his shareholder viewpoint.
The President’s sustained position continues to reveal the underlying division with his deputy.
“I will not allow any part of the country to be discriminated in terms of development. I am the President and let no one tell you that you are not part of this government,” he said in Siaya County.
– Ruto: Shareholder talk primitive –
President Ruto minced no words as he appeared to tell off his deputy that “it is primitive and backward for anybody to imagine that any region of Kenya cannot get development on account of how they voted.”
In the Nyanza tour, whether by default or design, President Ruto was not accompanied by his deputy, sparking suspicion about potential divisions stemming from differing perspectives on the government’s development strategies.
Amidst the ongoing and evident differences of opinion, Gachagua, while attending a church service in Nandi County, remained resolute and unapologetic regarding his analogy, likening Kenya to a private company in which the primary shareholders should reap the initial benefits.
“I have no apologies. I am unapologetic in demanding and insisting that those who believed in William Ruto and supported him as a man have every right to benefit immensely from his government. I have no apology, at all, and if that can bring a problem so be it,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua’s unwavering commitment to his ideology, bold stance, and apparent willingness to confront potential controversy seems to be creating rifts with his boss, who initially rose to power on the promise of fostering strong camaraderie.
A section of Kwanza leaders, including National Assembly Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro, have publicly criticized Gachagua for his stance on the “shareholder viewpoint,” urging him to cease, as they believe it is detrimental to the nation.
While Gachagua sought to reassure the nation on October 6, 2023, that his relationship with President Ruto is rock solid, it seems that the fractures in their partnership have begun to surface early.
President Ruto’s mission is to unite the country through development, whereas Gachagua is pushing for a different approach, asserting that those who supported the government ought to receive the most significant benefits.
As for when or if the President will tame or better yet reprimand his deputy, only time will reveal the answer.