Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has warned a section of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) leaders fronting Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro as his replacement that they ought to tread carefully.
Speaking during a funeral in Bomet on Monday, Gachagua argued that the leaders, drawn from the Mt Kenya region, were disrespectful to President William Ruto who has been in office for one year and was yet to realise their manifesto.
According to the DP, initiating succession talks four years before the election was also insensitive and a rude gesture towards the people of Kenya.
"The people do not want to hear about elections. They do not want to hear who will be elected where; they want service delivery; they want electricity, water and other forms of development," Gachagua cautioned.
"President Ruto is one year in office. It is wrong to talk about his succession. Stop the talk and focus on work. Wait for the President's 2027 reelection. Let us focus on the President's success and assist him in the transformation of the country and the economy. Avoid succession politics," he added.
Gachagua maintained that he would not get derailed by succession politics even as a section of leaders from Mt Kenya called on Ruto to shuffle his top brass leadership ahead of the 2027 polls.
He stated that he would focus on his work and assist Ruto in achieving his agenda.
"I won't lose focus. I am doing one thing at a time. Between 2018 and 2022, I was focused on ensuring Ruto became the President and we won.
"If I listened to noises, we would not have won. Currently, I have only one focus as the Deputy President- assisting President Ruto to succeed in the economic transformation of the country," the DP added.
A section of Mt Kenya leaders, especially from Muranga County accused the DP of hard-handedness and belittling them. They hence fronted Nyoro as his replacement noting that he had a good development track record.
However, some leaders from Ruto's backyard threw their weight behind Gachagua promising to repay his loyalty in 2032 as the crack within Kenya Kwanza widens.
"We thank you for standing with our President before and post 2022 elections. When the time comes, we will also stand with you," Kuresoi North MP Alfred Mutai stated.
Meanwhile, other leaders led by nominated MP Sabina Chege advised Gachagua to address the fallout in the region. Chege attributed the rise of splinter groups to DP's inexperience in politics.
"His background has been very administrative, maybe there are some intrigues that he has not mastered. I feel we may have rushed to judge him but he has time to learn and it may be the best time for him to ask what is happening within his troops," she opined.
