Aasai

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has slammed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, saying he is only interested in leadership without accountability. Gachagua accused Raila of deceiving voters who have supported him for years, especially from Western Kenya, and after his defeat, is looking for a way into Government and leaving them in the bush after negotiating his deal. 

He maintained that the time has come for President William Ruto and Raila to leave, even as he called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure that there are additional polling stations for Kenyans living abroad to exercise their democratic right in the next elections. 

"Let me tell you, this cousin movement is the biggest thing that has ever happened in Kenya because our cousins have been exploited by Raila for a long time. Every election cycle he has been mobilizing my cousins from Mulembe, Kamba, Kisii, Mijikenda and Taita, mobilizing all those cousins and lying to them that he is sending them to Canaan," Gachagua said. The former DP who was speaking on Monday in Southern California, USA where he addressed Kenyans living there, claimed that Raila never wants to be responsible but seeks to be in the Government of the day.

 "…And because people like Kanaani my cousins accepted it for many years…he has no interest in being President. He has no such interest. He is not interested. He loves power but without responsibility," he said. Gachagua added: "He does not want to be responsible so he creates problems he is invited to the government and starts eating, and that is why he is silent right now because he is a good observer of good manners, when you are at the table you eat you do not talk, so these cousins have now found themselves as a family. a narrative that has taken shape "Now, all cousins speak the same language. So I saw Tinga (Raila) the other day crying over his cousins.

 He was crying at the funeral instead of mourning the late Phoebe Asiyo, he was mourning the loss of his cousin from his grip,” he said. “These cousins have seen the light and yesterday when he caused trouble, he was invited to the table by Ruto to eat together and forgot all the cousins and went alone. However, he wanted these cousins to wait for him so that he could mislead them in every election. So Tinga, let me tell you not to talk about cousins. Leave family issues,” Gachagua insisted. 

Gachagua was responding to Raila, who dismissed the ‘cousin’ narrative saying it is unacceptable in the current political climate. Gachagua said Kenyans speak with one voice, against kidnapping and arbitrary killings. The former DP deputy who said he would respect the opposition presidential flag bearer once a decision is reached. said their Government will rectify the mistakes made by the Ruto administration. 

For example, he referred to the state of health and education services in the country, saying they are in a deplorable state. According to Gachagua,The country had a National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) which was a good system and although it had its challenges, it worked and people received medical assistance at the health facilities they visited. 

But Gachagua told the meeting that together with his opposition colleagues, they were ready to make the systems work, saying Kenya had the right people to change the country. He said some of his reasons for travelling to the US were to reach out to Kenyans living there to engage and listen to them. "A government that was elected on a platform of democracy, respecting the rule of law and the constitution, has turned against its own people and sadly, the youth. Cruelty like a colonial government, but very cruel.