Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s first cousin Captain (Rtd) Kung’u Muigai has welcomed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s move to extend an olive branch to Uhuru Kenyatta for the sake of unity talks in the Mt Kenya region.
Speaking exclusively to the Star on Tuesday, Kung’u emphasized the need for both Uhuru and Gachagua to overcome political differences and collaborate for the growth and unity of the region.
He called for support for Gachagua outreach efforts from the region leaders drawn from all political affiliations, acknowledging him as the most senior politician in the region at present.
“As elders in the Mt Kenya region, we welcome the move for the two leaders to unite, and we are prepared to facilitate any meeting, whether it is a handshake or a sit-down, for the sake of the region’s growth,” Kung’u said.
He cautioned against leaders fueling the division between Gachagua and Uhuru noting that it’s the community that would suffer most if the two (Uhuru and Gachagua) continue facing each other politically.
Kung’u further warned against prematurely engaging in the 2032 politics of succession, urging leaders to focus on current issues facing the region.
Political analyst Albert Kasembeli echoed Kung’u’s sentiments, stating that if Uhuru and Gachagua unite before the 2027 general election, the region will gain respect in various political spheres across the country.
Kasembeli cautioned against the risks of continued discord between the two leaders, urging Uhuru to graciously accept Gachagua’s apology if any wrongs occurred during the 2022 campaigns.
He also placed blame on political brokers for creating a wedge between the leaders to maintain their relevance in the upcoming elections.
“I fully support Gachagua’s move to unite with Uhuru because if they fail to unite, the region will remain divided and the community will risk being misused by selfish leaders in the region,” Kasembeli said.
Deputy President Gachagua, during the recent burial of former police boss Kingori Mwangi, expressed his readiness to reconcile with the retired President.
Gachagua affirmed his long-standing friendship with Uhuru before political differences arose from the 2022 elections.
“I was looking forward to meeting my friend and former boss President Uhuru Kenyatta. I wanted to come and greet him because I have not seen him for a while, tell him it is well and we have a new government” said the DP.
“Uhuru is our son and we love him. I directed the regional leaders to desist from attacking the retired President. We still love him.”
He expressed readiness to collaborate with leaders from the region, irrespective of their political stance, and stressed the importance of avoiding the mistakes of vote division experienced in the 1990s.
Speaking to the Star Thuo Mathenge, the New Democrat’s national chairman and party leader voiced concern that the Mt Kenya region might lose its relevance if unity is not achieved.
He emphasized the historical strength of the region’s unity during campaigns and called for a collective voice, regardless of political affiliations.
“I support the unity of the region and we should speak in one voice irrespective of political formations,” Thuo said.
He added that the Mt Kenya region should never approach the 2027 general election divided as it was in the previous 2022 general election.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, last week, urged former President Uhuru Kenyatta to convene a meeting for regional leaders in the interest of peace.
“I have told the former President to invite leaders for a goat-eating ceremony, I also informed him that you (Gachagua) would have wanted to be here but you were occupied and he was rushing for another event,” Kahiga stated.