Rift between President Ruto, his deputy Gachagua will derail development, Mt Kenya youth leaders warn
A section of university leaders from Mt Kenya region have warned that the flaring rift between President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua could put the country in an unnecessary electioneering mood thereby derailing social-economic development.
The young leaders at the same time expressed fury that the intensified squabbling paints an unpleasant image of role models in Ruto and Gachagua leaving the youth at the risk of loathing politics which are key for the development of a country.
Speaking during a Central Students’ Association Leadership Summit in Thika, Kiambu county, the young leaders expressed fears that the sustained public spats have been exposing them to abusive language, aggression and bitterness among leaders who undertook to work together to improve the livelihoods of Kenyans.
Ruto and Gachagua have been embroiled in heated public exchanges on matters of national unity, the push for implementation of one-man, one-vote, one-shilling and the populous Mt Kenya region dominance.
While DP Gachagua accuses the President’s close allies of undermining his authority and sowing division within his political home turf, Ruto’s allies have been describing Gachagua as a tribalist dictator who has been advancing his selfish political interests.
It is the sustained squabbling that has irked young Mt Kenya leaders who have urged President Ruto to clear the air on the wrangles and or call out his troops who have been undermining Gachagua’s authority.
They urged politicians to stop flexing their muscles and instead train their focus on service delivery to the citizenry.
While Ruto has remained mum over the growing tension, he has on several occasions hit at Gachagua for holding divergent opinions signaling a fallout that could injure their political partnership that was birthed to revolutionize the country’s crippled economy.
The friction has sparked concerns about potential fragmentation and lack of unity in the country with analysts observing that a discrete power struggle between Ruto and Gachagua, with each vying to consolidate their control and influence in Mt Kenya could leave the populous region and the country disunited.
While Ruto seeks to maintain the loyalty of MPs who supported his campaign, Gachagua is simultaneously working to build his own political base ahead of the 2027 general election.
Addressing journalists during the summit, political strategist who is also the Athi Water Services board chairperson Charles Karondo urged the youth to rise up and take leadership positions to build the country.
