A section of women from Mt Kenya have warned President William Ruto against appointing a person from another region for the Deputy President’s position should Rigathi Gachagua be impeached.
The women who spoke to journalists in Juja told Ruto that he will be committing political suicide by giving the position to a person who is not a member of the Kikuyu community.
They cautioned that the populous region will revolt against Ruto by voting in another president in 2027 should he fail to heed to their demand that the position be given to a member of their community.
They particularly called on Ruto to consider historically appointing the first ever female deputy president in the country saying Kenya is ready to have women at the top leadership positions.
Led by Tabitha Wangui, the women asked Ruto to reciprocate their support by appointing Governor Anne Waiguru as the Deputy President in keeping with his promise of having a female running mate in the future.
Waiguru alongside his Murang’a counterpart Irungu Kang’ata, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki are some of the names that have emerged as possible Gachagua’s replacement.
But the women insisted that Waiguru has a proven track record in transformational leadership, as seen in Kirinyaga and other national positions she has held in her civil service career.
They however called on Waiguru, if appointed, to undertake revival of all stalled projects in the country for social-economic developments.
While singling out stalled Mau Mau road project in Mt Kenya, the women stated that currently, most roads in the region are in sorry states and will require a fresh leadership to have them done.
Analysts expect the deputy president’s impeachment to be upheld as the ruling party senators are likely to be backed by those from the main opposition as happened when the lower house voted on the case.
Gachagua is facing 11 charges, among them corruption, causing ethnic divisions and undermining the government.
