A section of Mt Kenya leaders allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua are now calling for the immediate resignation of Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku over alleged persistent hate speech.
The leaders, who are mainly from Embu County, have urged President William Ruto to dismiss Ruku over inflammatory comments, which they say could trigger division within Mt Kenya.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, December 23, the politicians claimed that the CS's alleged derogatory remarks could spark serious division between Mt Kenya East and West, which have long coexisted peacefully.
According to them, Ruku's comment undermines the Head of State's efforts to foster national unity, insisting that the CS was fond of making insensitive remarks against the region.
"If the president means well about the unity of this country, he should take action against CS Ruku by showing him the door immediately," said one of the politicians.
"He should immediately stop dividing the Mt Kenya region and participating in unnecessary politics. He was placed there to work for the people because there is a crisis in our hospital," another added.
During the presser, the politicians also hit out at the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), accusing it of alleged double standards by failing to take action against Ruku.
The demand for Ruku's dismissal comes a day after the CS launched a scathing attack against Gachagua, accusing him of creating unnecessary tension in the Mt Kenya region.
Ruku, speaking on Monday, December 22, at a goat auction in Baringo, chastised the former DP for repeatedly attempting to incite hostility towards the government and its allies.
The CS further dismissed claims that Gachagua was the region's kingpin, insisting that the recent by-elections held in Mbeere North contradicted the assumption of Gachagua's immense influence in the region.
"There was drama in the Mt Kenya region; there is a politician there inciting people. He is someone who specialises in spreading systematic hatred against the government and leaders who support it," Ruku alleged.
"But when he had the chance to help his person clinch a seat in Mbeere North, that guy sweated, and we defeated him. Let no one lie to you that he owns Mt Kenya. If he is the Mt Kenya kingpin, we could have seen it in the Mbeere North elections," he added.
