By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
A rift between two emerging camps in the Mount Kenya region seems to be widening by the day.
The camps have split the region between supporters of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and those allied to President William Ruto.
The DP has the support of the older politicians from the vote-rich region while the young ones seem to be stuck with the Head of State.
National Assembly leader of the Majority Kimani Ichungwa has been among the vocal critics of DP Gachagua’s renewed bid to unite the mountain.
In a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the Kikuyu MP indirectly suggested that the recent demands of former president Uhuru Kenyatta have similarities with those of the DP.
He went further to claim that all are aimed at whipping tribal emotions.
“The Kshs 1B plus demands & Question. One former. One current. Script similar. Ethnic undertones. Fill in the gaps,” Ichung’wa said.
His statement comes a day after Uhuru accused the government of failing to adhere to the law as far as his retirement benefits are concerned.
Through his spokesperson Kanze Dena, the former President noted that the government had declined to finance his office.
However, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura insisted that the government already has the Nyari building – used by former President the late Mwai Kibaki – which is available for use.
Mwaura accused Uhuru of seeking to get the government to pay for his own building.
“The third retired president wants to be both landlord and tenant. It is an adventure that the law-abiding Kenya Kwanza government cannot engage in, as this is a serious conflict of interest,” the former Senator said in a rebuttal to Kanze Dena’s allegations.
A few weeks ago, there were reports that the Deputy President had also made demands for new vehicles that would cost the taxpayer over Ksh100 million.
The DP over the weekend also hinted at the challenges he was facing with his transport after a new directive barring politicians from using military choppers.
He arrived at an event attended by the President over an hour later. Photos of the second in command arriving at Nakuru Boys where the event was being held indicated that he arrived using a private jet – unlike in the past where he has been using military planes.