Nairobi — National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah intensified his criticism of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday, asserting that no amount of scheming will make the government succumb.
In what seems to be an escalating conflict causing tension among officials in the ruling Kenya Kwanza government, Ichung'wah reminded the Deputy President that his "insatiable greed for power and money" will remain unfulfilled.
Ichung'wah criticized Gachagua shortly after photos surfaced of him boarding a Kenya Airways plane to Mombasa while carrying his luggage.
Gachagua is expected to open the International Scientific Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya set to take place on Wednesday in Mombasa County.
"No amount of sympathy-seeking photos, vernacular station campaigns, or social media blogging troops will hand over billions to satisfy anyone's insatiable greed for power and money," Ichung'wah posted on X.
Deputy President Gachagua, who has clashed with several government leaders, particularly those from the Mt. Kenya region, over the politics of resource allocation, has publicly disclosed the transportation challenges he has faced.
Gachagua's transportation troubles began on May 10, 2024, during the national tree planting holiday.
He was scheduled to lead the exercise in Samburu County, but the event was canceled at the last minute due to transportation issues.
On June 9, 2024, at the Annual Akorino Conference in Nakuru, Gachagua arrived an hour late, long after President William Ruto, and attributed his lateness to transport arrangements. He arrived at the event via a chartered helicopter.
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Previously, Gachagua used military helicopters for travel, but this was halted when Defense Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale declared that military helicopters were off-limits for politicians.
Ichung'wah, however, believes that Gachagua is on a blackmailing mission, which he asserts will not succeed.
"Neither President William Ruto nor the Government of Kenya or Members of Parliament will succumb to blackmail," he posted on X.
The ongoing tension within Kenya's ruling Kenya Kwanza government stirs recollections of a bitter rift between President Ruto, formerly deputy to his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.
While President Ruto has downplayed the discord between himself and his deputy, ongoing events suggest otherwise.
Gachagua remains steadfast in his mission to unite the Mt. Kenya region by advocating for fair resource allocation through the "one man, one shilling, one vote" campaign.
President Ruto has, however, cautioned that the approach carries the risk of tribal politics.
