Kindiki challenges Gachagua, Kalonzo to account for their time in office, urges Mt Kenya to reject divisive politics
Kindiki assured the Meru leaders that all those who have held high office will eventually be held accountable for their track record.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has dared his predecessors Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka to outline their achievements while in office, dismissing their criticism of the government as baseless.
Speaking on Tuesday, during a development meeting with Meru County leaders at his Karen residence, Kindiki said Kalonzo, despite serving as Vice President under the late President Mwai Kibaki, had no tangible projects to show for his tenure.
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“What can he show for his time? My predecessor (Gachagua) was here for two years. His biggest achievement was dividing the people of Kenya and advocating for tribalism,” he said.
Kindiki assured the Meru leaders that all those who have held high office will eventually be held accountable for their track record.
“We will all account for the time we have been in office at the right time. You will ask what I did in the two and a half years I was here, and I know I will pass with flying colours,” he said.
He warned the Mt Kenya region against being misled by Gachagua, who has been rallying support since his impeachment in October 2024.
“Some are telling us to leave this government and wait for another one in 2027 that will be led by Kalonzo and (Roots Party leader George) Wajackoyah. That is fine because these are opposition leaders and can say anything. But when Kalonzo comes to Meru County asking for your support, ask him what he did for Meru when he was Vice President for five years,” he said.
DP Kithure Kindiki when he held a consultative engagement with Meru County leaders on priority projects and agreed on a roadmap for timely and successful implementation of ongoing and proposed National and County Governments development programmes. (X/Kithure Kindiki)
Kindiki also defended President William Ruto against online criticism over his administration’s plan to complete the Isiolo-Mandera road, a key component of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor.
During a recent tour of northern Kenya, Ruto mentioned towns along the project’s route, including Rhamu, Elwak, Kobo, Kotulo, Tarban, Wajir, Samatar, Modogashe, and Isiolo, which sparked online mockery.
“Some Kenyans are making fun of the huge road project we are constructing between Isiolo and Mandera. This is a massive project that will be completed in the next two and a half years. You can make fun of it to be applauded online, but we are focused because this will be the same road we will use to show the people there what we have done for them. We already have 11 contractors on site, and soon, that part of the country will be opened up for economic transformation,” Kindiki said.
He also assured that the government would revive all stalled projects in Meru and across the country, attributing most of the delays to challenges faced during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s first term.
He revealed that at least Sh36 billion had been set aside for last-mile electricity connectivity across the country, while another Sh12 billion had been allocated for infrastructure, including roads, markets, and County Aggregation and Industrial Parks.
The Deputy President also dismissed critics who have questioned his leadership approach, particularly those in the Mt Kenya region who accuse him of neglecting local interests in favour of a national outlook.
“There are people who think we are afraid of talking about where we come from. We do not have to isolate other parts of Kenya to develop our home. The late former President Mwai Kibaki did a lot for his region without announcing where he came from,” he said.
He added, “I won’t go around the country announcing how I love the mountain region. Such acts would disrupt the peaceful coexistence of Kenyans.”
Turning to the agricultural sector, Kindiki credited President Ruto’s intervention for the recent increase in miraa prices. He assured farmers that the government was committed to streamlining key agricultural value chains, including dairy, tea, coffee, macadamia, and cotton, to benefit them.
He also cautioned political leaders in Meru against engaging in divisive politics, urging them to maintain discipline during the meeting.
“This meeting is meant to discuss the development agenda and not party or regional politics. Once you are outside the gate, you can continue with your political fights,” he said.
For the first time, the meeting brought together Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, her deputy Isaac Mutuma, and all elected leaders from the county.
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