Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has unleashed a scathing attack on Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over what he terms as bullying and disrespect.
Speaking on Wednesday during a UDA Delegates Conference at the Bomas of Kenya, Sakaja took a swipe at the Deputy President accusing him of stomping on other elected leaders but crying foul when the same energy is directed at him.
The county boss told off the country’s second-in-command urging him to grow a thick skin and cease tagging other leaders in his political war.
He said: “Huwezi kuwa you are bullying people for two years, then unatajwa wiki moja unaanza kulia. Do you know bullies are the biggest cowards?”
Mpaka unaenda sijui kwa msitu, sijui wapi…if you want respect, respect other leaders. If you don’t respect those leaders, then respect the people who put them there.”
Sakaja went on to dare the DP to run for the Nairobi County governorship seat in the 2027 elections if he does not respect his capacity as an elected official.
“I’ve been through a lot and I’m not easily intimidated, nobody has the right to say I was given the seat. I was elected,” charged Sakaja.
“In 2027, you are free to run for any elective post, run and be Nairobi Governor.”
Sakaja’s remarks follow a perceived fight between the DP and his boss over allegations that some of the President’s allies from his Rift Valley backyard were undermining his (Gachagua) capacity.
A seemingly angered Gachagua who on Saturday held a meeting held in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County, went bare-knuckles, revealing that the said Ruto’s allies were already holding meetings in the Mt. Kenya region to craft 2032 succession politics to his disadvantage.
“The problem is a few leaders here from this region who have proximity to the President ndio wanakoroga siasa ya huko kwetu kudanganya watu eti waaanze kupanga mambo ya 2032,” he said.
“The few people here wamefura wamekuwa na kiburi nyingi, wanafikiria ati sasa wamefika wanaweza kuja huko eti wapange viongozi wa mlima, ata sisi hatutakuja kuwapangia siasa yenu, lazima tuheshimiane.”
Sakaja in April this year came out to dismiss allegations of a rift with Gachagua, terming the DP as his senior and a good leader who should be respected.
Reports of bad blood between the two stemmed from Sakaja’s bid for the UDA party Chairmanship in Nairobi at the forthcoming elections.
“I have no differences with the Deputy President. He is a senior man who is respected, he has been in politics, and even though he got in politics after us, he came in and became popular. He is a good leader who should be respected,” he said.
“I’ve never spoken ill of him. I have never mentioned him. I respect him as our leader, vice president, and deputy party leader.”
