Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said he is not ashamed to hail from the village after he was termed a villager by Kenya Kwanza leaders He said Kenyans should be proud of their villages and language, as they give them a sense of identity and originality MP Kimani Ichungw’ah referred to Gachagua as a villager for his constant calls for Mt. Kenya unity
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hit out at leaders who have been referring to him as a villager.
While presiding over the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK)’s International Science Conference in Mombasa, Gachagua said he doesn’t mind his new nickname, noting we all come from a village.
“Everybody comes from somewhere; Nairobi is the place to look for greener pastures. I don’t know why people have problems with where we come from because we all come from a village somewhere.
We should be proud of our origin and identity. Nobody should be embarrassed about where they come from,” Gachagua said.
Why Gachagua does not mind being called villager
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah had earlier described Gachagua as a villager who still seeks attention from the village, contrary to his stature.
He said the DP was focused on village politics in his call for the unity of Mt. Kenya, which Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria said was divisive. Responding to the two, Gachagua said he has no business speaking English in the village, as language choice depends on the context and people being addressed.
“What business do I have talking to the people of the village in English, and I’m not a mzungu? That will be a show-off. When we come to a conference, we speak English to understand each other tuwache madharau,” he said. Gachagua added that Kenyans should not be ashamed of their language, as it is a mark of identity and gives a sense of belonging.
Didmus Barasa asks Gachagua to resign
Following his one-man-one-vote-one-shilling campaign and focus on Mt. Kenya unity, Gachagua has received criticism from ruling party leaders. Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa asked Gachagua to resign and run for a position in Nyeri if he wants to continue calling for the region’s unity. According to Barasa, the DP belongs to the Presidency, which should unite Kenyans.
