•He further questioned the motive of government officials to respond to the deputy president through the media.
•Wambugu asked Gachagua to tread with care.
Image: FILE
Former Nyeri Town Member of Parliament Ngunjiri Wambugu has alleged a plot to make Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua irrelevant in the Kenya Kwanza government.
In a statement on Wednesday, Wambugu noted several incidents where Gachagua fell for a well-calculated move to turn him into a laughing stock.
Wambugu questioned the route the media had taken to highlight Gachagua's controversial remarks since he took the oath of office.
"A few weeks ago I raised a concern about the seemingly deliberate efforts to caricature the DP, I pointed out that it doesn’t look random,” Wambugu said.
“Let’s be honest, the man from my home county is neither the worst-dressed politician around, nor is he a political buffoon. But we have cartoons and memes of him as such,” he added.
“He always says a lot of sensible stuff in between his earthy humour and jokes. But somehow, the media tends to only carry those stories that make us laugh at him,” he stated.
Wambugu expressed shock after the Central Bank of Kenyan (CBK) moved to correct Rigathi Gachagua for sentiments he made during a Citizen Tv interview on October 2, saying such scenarios could easily paint him negatively in the public eye.
He further questioned the motive of government officials to respond to the deputy president through the media.
“Now we are at a point government officers are comfortable responding to him via the media. Gradually we will get to a point where his public image will be of a political joker who’s out of his depth as DP. (And he’s falling into the trap),” Wambugu said.
“Gradually we will get to a point where his public image will be of a political joker who’s out of his depth as DP.”
Wambugu asked Gachagua to tread with care.
“In a couple of months no one will take him or what he says seriously. Ultimately this will completely undermine his office and his role as DP. To what end, especially considering in this government the two leaders are working well together?” he wondered.