Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua warned Kericho governor Erick Mutai and his deputy Fred Kirui to either work together or face impeachment after the wrangle between the duo escalated.
Gachagua, who spoke at a funeral service in Masaita village, Londiani ward in Kericho on Friday, cautioned the two leaders against embarrassing the President with their constant public feuds.
He emphasised that the public feuds between the two also hurt service delivery, prompting the government to intervene.
The DP urged Mutai and Kirui to collaborate and run their offices as per their manifesto, and campaign promises for the betterment of the county.
The constant disagreements, Gachagua warned, were a disservice to their constituents who elected them into office.
“You must work together the way you campaigned together. If you continue fighting, you will be removed from office by the people.
"I will tell the people of Kericho that they made a mistake. We have a responsibility to work for the people of Kericho. The people cannot benefit when there are wrangles between the governor and his deputy," Gachagua stated.
Additionally, the second in command dared the two to focus their energy on development, fight against bandits in Pokot or join the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) peacekeeping mission in Somalia, in what appeared to be a joke.
"The President recently had a meeting in Nairobi attended by 25 heads of state, and they chose to have him as their representative. He is respected in the continent and globally, and he will be heading to New York to address the UN General Assembly and later at COP28 in Dubai to speak on behalf of Africa.
"But at his home in Kericho, the leaders are fighting. I won't allow it to happen. During the election, you campaigned together. Why fight now after winning the seat? You must work together," he added.
Nonetheless, Gachagua once again offered to convene a reconciliatory meeting between the leaders. He recalled that in January, this year, he managed to reconcile the Members of the Kericho county assembly and their speaker after similar leadership wrangles.
He also intervened after Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza and her Members of the County Assembly(MCAs) fell out.
It remains to be seen whether the Deputy President’s ultimatum will curb the enmity between Mutai and Kirui, who have been at loggerheads since they were elected into office.
The leaders have had several back and forths consistently washing their dirty linen in public.
On June 1, the duo publicly differed over an alleged 60-40 power-sharing deal they signed before assuming office.
Kirui alleged that Mutai was reneging on their political agreement, an accusation the Governor refuted.
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