Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has apologised to the Kenyatta family over last year’s invasion of their Northlands Farm in Ruiru, saying the incident remains one of the darkest moments on the Mount Kenya leadership.
In an interview with Kameme TV on Monday, Mr Gachagua said the events of March 27, 2023, and the subsequent mudslinging of the former first family, were ill-advised and should never be allowed to happen again.
“The murky politics of 2022, where insults overrode reason to the extent of throwing all forms of dirt at the former First Family, is something that still gives me nightmares,” said the Deputy President.
He wondered how Mount Kenyans sank to the level of insulting Mama Kenyatta.
“Abusing Mama Ngina who has been a first lady and an elderly stateswoman in this country, was not only a disgrace to us as leaders from the Mount Kenya region but morally wrong before our Maker,” he said.
Mr Gachagua also took the opportunity to beseech the former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta for forgiveness on behalf of the larger Mount Kenya region, which he said stands accused before the eyes of God following the ignominious incidents.
“I tender our apologies to Mama Ngina and ask her to forgive us just like her children. It was political bad manners and it shall never happen again,” he said.
The Deputy President also reached out to retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, highlighting the fact that Kenyatta is still highly regarded in the Mount Kenya region, having served as the region’s kingpin for more than two decades.
“Even though Kenyatta (Uhuru) attacked us while he was in power, we still regard him as a senior leader among our people. He needs to be accorded respect not only as a retired head of state but also as a regional leader. We now need to walk together in one accord, and never again shall we allow partisan politics to divide us,” Mr Gachagua said.
The raid on the Kenyatta family’s Northlands ranch in Ruiru, where about 300 unruly youths invaded the 1,697-acre farm, cutting down exotic Eucalyptus trees and stealing over 1,500 purebred Dorper sheep, sent shockwaves across the country.
This incident occurred against the backdrop of the government fighting violent anti-government demonstrations from the opposition, who alleged rigging in the 2022 presidential election.
The matter was later on taken up by police, who intervened and arrested several suspects believed to be linked to the incident.
Meanwhile, Mr Gachagua has dismissed claims that the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report is a well-scripted handshake meant to sideline him and the larger Mount Kenya people.
The Deputy President said that unlike the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) which was the brainchild of Uhuru and opposition leader Raila Odinga, NADCO is a well-thought-out document that intends to bring the interests of all Kenyans on board.
“While proponents of the Building Bridges Initiative were using threats to push its unpopular contents down our throats like the bitter quinine, the NADCO report is a product of consultative dialogue that will be beneficial across the political divide,” he added.
Additional reporting by KNA / Samuel Maina
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