KANU Political Affairs Secretary Fredrick Okang'o has asked President William Ruto to protect his deputy Rigathi Gachagua from attacks from his allies.
In an interview with Citizen TV Tuesday morning, Okang'o said Ruto should honour his earlier commitment to protect Gachagua from similar mistreatment he faced while serving as a deputy president.
"The president must call out the people that are perceived to be undermining Rigathi. He must talk to them and he must remind them what he told the people of Mount Kenya," Okang'o said,
"Ruto told Kenyans not at any time he will ever or do anything neither will he allow anyone to undermine his Deputy."
He went on:
"Rigathi Gachagua and William Ruto are joined in the hip by the constitution through an election and therefore there is nothing that Ruto can do to Gachagua if they can differ today, same to Gachagua."
Okang'o said the recent developments come out of Gachagua's realisation that he is not given the treatment he deserves and that there are people out to undermine him.
"Rigathi Gachagua is not happy because his work as the Deputy President is not being recognized by certain people close to the President. So he needs a lot of leadership consultation with him particularly from his region to show he is the leader," Okang'o decried.
The remarks by Okang'o come after a weekend of fierce exchange between Gachagua and a section of leaders from the Rift Valley and Mt Kenya regions.
Gachagua on Saturday accused a section of Rift Valley leaders who are close to Ruto of causing a rift in the Mt Kenya region.
He asked the leaders to focus on their region's politics instead of Mt Kenya adding that they will never contemplate choosing leaders for the region.
"The problem is a few leaders from this region (Rift Valley) who have proximity to the president ndo wanakoroga siasa ya huko kwetu, kudanganya watu waanze kupanga mambo ya 2032. That is the problem there," Gachagua said.
On Sunday, the DP affirmed that his relationship with President Ruto is strong and they are collaborating effectively.
Gachagua emphasized that the government remains robust and is making significant strides in fulfilling its promises to Kenyans.
