Rigathi Gachagua insists Ruto running mate position is reserved for Mt Kenya

The Member of Parliament for Mathira Constituency Rigathi Gachagua has maintained that Kenya Kwanza Alliance presidential candidate William Ruto’s running mate must come from the Mt Kenya region.

Rigathi was speaking during an interview at a local TV station Sunday when he made the assertions.

According to Rigathi, Ruto had an agreement with leaders from the region long before ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and FORD-Kenya’s Moses Wetangula joined the formation that he would pick his running mate from Mt Kenya.

"Ruto's running mate must come from the mountain. Before we were joined by the other people, we had our own arrangements that we had discussed and my position has been, whatever had been agreed upon earlier cannot change drastically to the disadvantage of the Mount Kenya region," Rigathi said.

The legislator also said his position in the UDA is to fight for the interests of the people of Mt Kenya and not other people.

"When I demand the running position for central Kenya, I do so on behalf of the people from the mountain. I do not speak for ANC or Ford Kenya. Speak for the people of the mountain," Rigathi said.

However, he said the naming of the running mate will be a reserve for the Deputy President.

"The decision of who will be running mate for William Ruto will be decided by William Ruto," he added.

Rigathi in a rather contradictory statement said himself and the people of Mt Kenya are not concerned about positions claiming they have not benefitted regardless of the fact that President Uhuru Kenyatta comes from the region.

"For me and the people of the mountain, these positions do not matter anymore. The President is from our community and we have suffered more than any other time since independence," Rigathi claimed.

He further said their interests are in programs and economic interventions.