Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has advised residents in the Mount Kenya region to sire at least 7 children per couple as he regretted siring only two children.
Gachagua blamed the white men for misleading him into having a small family and limiting his lineage.
“I was misled by the white men to limit my lineage. I urge our Mount Kenya families to sire at least 7 per couple. God will provide for you,” said Gachagua during an interview with Inooro FM.
Gachagua emphasized that Kenyans who are yet to have children and those with small families should aim to have many children.
The deputy president revealed that he was misled by the family planning advice, which he took so seriously at that time.
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He explained that sometimes he feels lonely in the house with his wife Pastor Dorcas, without children playing around them.
“When I am in my big house with my wife Dorcas, I usually feel lonely, as the house is so quiet with no children playing around. If I leave a cup of tea on the table, there are high chances of finding it at the same spot after two months,” he said
Gachagua explained that the family planning campaign was very vibrant in the 1970s as many people took the advice without thinking about the repercussions of having a small family.
He also encouraged parents to take their children to school, citing an example of his parents who educated his two elder brothers.
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“In our family, we were nine siblings. Seven of us were educated up to university level by our two elder brothers, Jackson Reriani and the late Nderitu Gachagua (the first Governor of Nyeri County) who were taken to school by our parents,” he said.
Gachagua made similar remarks during an event in Kericho County on September 8, when he urged Kenyans to consider getting more children.
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“Children are a blessing from God, so couples should aim at having six, seven, nine, or more children. This will enable us to have more people voting for president and me in future elections,” he told Kericho residents.
He advised the residents not to worry about taking care of children, adding that God will provide for them.
