Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Friday, November 18, revealed that he lobbied Kenya Kwanza lawmakers from Mt Kenya to vote for former Kieni MP Kanini Kega in the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) elections.
While addressing mourners in Tharaka Nithi County, the DP disclosed that he supported Kega despite his political affiliation to prove that he had forgiven his opponents.
Gachagua also insisted on uniting the Mt Kenya region as he sought to succeed former President Uhuru Kenyatta as the region's kingpin.
"I spoke to Mount Kenya leaders, and they agreed to vote for Kanini Kega, who was against us. That's the new Kenya we want," Gachagua stated.
In addition, he asserted that he had forgiven politicians allied to the Azimio La Umoja Coalition despite the bruising battles they staged against each other in the divisive electioneering period.
"Ruto and I are Christians. We do not intend to go after anyone. People went around hurling insults at us, but we have forgiven them.
"We acknowledge that the election is over, and we have work to do," he added.
The DP also called upon leaders in the Azimio camp to join him, insisting that it would help unite the region and shape its political agenda.
Further, the second-in-command affirmed his commitment to mentoring youthful leaders in the region to avoid gaps in leadership. He cited the vacuum that was created after Uhuru retired without a clear succession plan.
"We do not want to be caught in the situation we were in as a region because nobody was mentored. We are mentoring our young leaders to prepare them for leadership because this is our resource and our future," he noted, much to the audience's delight.
The DP's remarks came a day after the hotly contested EALA elections on Thursday, November 17. Kega was one of the nine contestants elected to represent Kenya in the Arusha-based Assembly.
The former Kieni legislator garnered 197 votes to join Winnie Odinga, Suleiman Shahbal and Kennedy Kalonzo as the representatives of the Azimio Coalition.
Kega was among the Jubilee Party politicians who lost in the August election dominated by the United Democratic Alliance Party.
