DP to critics: Leave how? I am going nowhere, this is our government

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has told off his critics who want him to quit government saying he is in the Kenya Kwanza administration to stay.

Gachagua laughed off a push by some politicians including those from Northern Kenya who want him to leave, insisting he is a significant shareholder in Kenya Kwanza.

The DP told off leaders he said campaigned against President William Ruto in the 2022 general election but were now pretending to be key supporters of his government.

''Those who have seen the meeting, please come and support the president but don't think you can come and replace us, just come and join,'' Gachagua said in Maragua on Saturday.

''Politics is a game of mathematics and we do the mathematics of addition and not subtraction.''

Gachagua claimed that the same leaders, who he did not name, did all they could to stop Ruto from becoming president in the lead-up to the 2022 polls because they did not believe in him.

''Now that he won, you have come, we shall give you some space but not that you come to replace us, how? 'and telling us that we leave, you have just come, ' Gachagua said.

''There are some amusing things, you did not vote for the president, you fought him, you called him a thieve and all sorts of names, and now you have come and want to tell those who formed that government to leave how? this is our government.''

The DP insisted that he would remain in the Kenya Kwanza administration and continue supporting the president as his principal deputy.

''If you are not comfortable being inside with us, leave and go back to where you were, even if you don't like us, you don't like our region or our language we are part of that government,'' he said.

The DP said he could not practice the politics of sycophancy at his age, insisting that the president had a reason why he picked him as deputy.

"The president got about 20 per cent in your regions, here we gave him 87 per cent then you come to lecture us how to govern, my leadership style cannot change and it is about being truthful and listening to the ground,'' he said.

''The way to help the president is to advise him truthfully and honestly and the best way to have good governance is to listen to the employer, the people of Kenya.''

Gcahagua has come and criticism from a section of politicians over his one man, one shilling push, outbursts against NIS boss Noordin Haji and his overall conduct as DP.

On Thursday, leaders from Northern Kenya defended Noordin and called on Gachagua to quit the government if he feels isolated or else be impeached.

“Following his attacks on Haji and open sabotage of President William Ruto, it is untenable for him to continue serving as Deputy President,” the statement further reads.

Mombasa leaders including Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and his predecessor Hassan Joho blasted Gachagua for calling on Noordin to quit.

Joho said the DP should be the first to resign.

"I would, therefore, wish to see him lead by example by being the first to take responsibility and resign instead of asking for other peoples' resignations."