DP Ruto running mate will come from Mt Kenya - Gachagua

DP Wiliam Ruto’s running mate will come from the Mt Kenya region and not from Western, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua has said.

In an interview with Citizen TV on Monday, Gachagua said ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi was subject to discussion.

"We have our NDC on March 15 to unveil our candidate William Ruto and other things will follow," he said.

"But as far as I'm concerned Ruto is a presidential candidate and the running mate will come from the mountain at an appropriate time."

Gachagua said Mudavadi and the Kenya Kwanza leaders were aware when they were joining the alliance.

"When they came for discussion we were very fort-right because we are honest people. They were told that we agreed that running mate is from the mountain (Mt Kenya region)," he said.

"We don't want to con someone. They will not be running mates."

He said an announcement about what exactly Mudavadi will do will be made soon, as speculation and criticisms are rife.

If Ruto wins the presidency, Mudavadi is tipped to be made Chief Minister and Minister for Finance, giving him an overall mandate to oversee government ministries and salvage the economy.

Currently, Interior CS Fred Matiang'i is the supervisor of government ministries and chairman of the National Development Implementation and Communication Committee.

It is still unclear if Mudavadi and Ford Kenya party boss Moses Wetang'ula can manage to galvanise Western Kenya behind Ruto, given the region has traditionally backed Raila. 

For instance, in the 2007 and 2017 polls, most voters from Western Kenya voted for Raila, including in 2013 when Mudavadi ran for President.