Senator Danson Mungatana Slams Gachagua Over One Man One Shilling Vote Remarks

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a meeting on April 26, 2024.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a meeting on April 26, 2024.
DPPS

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana on Wednesday questioned the motive behind Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's pronouncement where the second in command declared that he will lead the One Man, One Shilling Campaign.

Speaking during an interview with TV47, Mungatana poked holes into the pronouncement and went to the extent of questioning whether Gachagua is keen on succeeding his boss President William Ruto.

The senator criticised the move, claiming that some regions will get the shorter end of the stick with regard to the distribution of resources and development.

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana holds a meeting with the Japanese ambassador to Kenya Ken Okinawa on April 25, 2024.
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana holds a meeting with the Japanese ambassador to Kenya Ken Okinawa on April 25, 2024.
Photo
Danson Mungatana

He added that this would prove detrimental to his presidential ambitions in the future if he rubs other regions the wrong way.

"He is a firm believer of one man one vote one shilling. I'm also a firm believer in one man one vote one square kilometre, so we differ. I want to tell the DP and his advisors that unless he thinks that Lamu, Tana River, Garissa, Isiolo, Turkana, Taita Taveta, and Marsabit counties are unimportant," Mungatana remarked.

"If he intends to be President, he is heading in the wrong direction and needs to be told in no uncertain terms that all of us listening to him are very disappointed with him."

Additionally, the senator reaffirmed that the pronouncement was not an official position under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party but represented Gachagua's personal views.

"He needs to be forgiven because he was in an area where he needed to get the claps but I want to tell you that it is not the UDA position. We have never sat as the UDA party to pass a policy pronounced by the DP," the politician added.

"When you're making such statements, at least call a PG meeting and say that this is the proposal so that you hear other opinions, but if you go public, I will also go public and say you're wrong."

The remarks also elicited criticism from Public Service CS Moses Kuria who argued that Mt Kenya was well represented in the Kenya Kwanza government.

This past Sunday, Gachagua cited neglect within the Mt Kenya region and vowed to support the policy to allocate more resources to the region he hails from.

Kuria
Former Public Service CS Moses Kuria during the burial of Pauline Njoroge's, popularly known as 'Mama Mboga', son, April 3.
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CS Kuria