United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua on Saturday found himself in the thick of a verbal controversy for the umpteenth time.

Speaking during a UDA rally in Kitengela, Kajiado County on Saturday in the company of Deputy President William Ruto, Gachagua accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of using chiefs to campaign for Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga.

The Mathira MP claims the government is using State machinery, including chiefs, to campaign for his preferred successor and his Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party.

The MP argues that the duties of chiefs was to help Kenyans in their locality to track down lost wives and help with the replacement of lost identity cards and not to help in campaigns.


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“Wewe chief, kama unataka kuambia mtu pahali atapiga kura, kwenda ambia bibi yako. Chief kazi yako ni kutengeneza mambo ya mpaka, kuandika barua ya kitambulisho na kama bibi ya mtu ametoroka, mtafutie huyo bibi umrudishie. Si hiyo ndiyo kazi ya chief?”

Translation: “You as a chief, if you want to direct anyone on who to vote for, go and direct your own wife. As a chief, your duty is to settle boundary disputes, provide documents to help Kenyans who have lost their ID cards and find a wife who has fled her matrimonial home and return her to her husband. That’s the work of a chief, right?”


Gachagua alleged he was the best suited to become Kenya’s next Deputy President, arguing that his ability was evident during the deputy presidential debate on Tuesday, July 19.

The MP found himself in trouble recently after suggesting the blue uniform worn by police officers was ugly and that if UDA wins the August 9 election, they would “return the ugly blue uniform to members of PCEA Woman’s Guild,” comments which rubbed a section of Kenyans the wrong way.