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He asked Gachagua not to appear as if he was fighting the President.
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Ngunjiri pointed out that after a president is elected, the most important thing together with his deputy is to unite the country.
Image: FILE
Former Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri has revisited events that transpired hours before President William Ruto named Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate ahead of the August 2022 elections.
He was weighing in on recent concerns of President Ruto and Gachagua speaking in a different tone on shareholders in government.
Ngunjiri sensationally claimed that he cried as he pleaded with Ruto, then Deputy President, to name Gachagua as his running mate.
On May 15, 2022, Ruto and Kenya Kwanza flag bearer picked Gachagua, who was then the MP for Mathira as his running mate.
There were reports of last-minute jostling by Kenya Kwanza leaders before the announcement was made.
In a video shared on Facebook, Ngunjiri said he implored Ruto to name Gachagua as his running mate. He said Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and Rigathi’s wife Dorcas were present, and that they also drummed up support for the then Mathira MP.
“I was in the frontline in Karen. Ruto knows it. It was Ndindi Nyoro, Gachagua and his wife, the President and me. We negotiated and it was tough. I shed tears rooting for Gachagua to get the position. Gachagua’s wife also cried as Ruto watched,” Ngunjiri stated.
He asked Gachagua not to appear as if he was fighting the President. “Do not throw words at the President. I also appeal to the President not to let his house be divided,” he stated.
The former Bahati MP noted that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki was also among those who were eying the position.
“We did not hate Kindiki. We were keen on getting all the votes from Mt Kenya and Riggy G knows it,” he stated.
Ngunjiri pointed out that after a president is elected, the most important thing together with his deputy is to unite the country.
“He cannot go around telling some regions that they did not vote for him. He should be a symbol of unity,” he said.
Ngunjiri asked Gachagua to learn from the relationship between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the then Deputy President Ruto during the last administration.
“I plead with Gachagua, please learn from history. We had problems during the last government between retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and President William Ruto, who was then Deputy President. We do not that situation to repeat itself. The President (Ruto) is on record saying he would not wish to suppress his deputy,” he said.
“President William Ruto engaged himself so much with the Kikuyu community and Mt Kenya, and there was some kind of understanding between the two,” he stated.
The region voted for Ruto because he had endeared himself to the Mt Kenya community.