Mathira MP Rigathi Gachugua has insisted that Deputy President William Ruto’s running mate must come from central Kenya in the coming August 9 presidential elections.
Speaking on Citizen TV morning program on Monday, February 28, Gachagua ruled out the possibility of Musalia Mudavadi being Ruto’s running mate.
“As far as am concerned there is a general consensus that William Ruto is our Candidate and the running mate will come from Mt Kenya,” Gachagua said.
Even though the Mathira MP was not categorical on the share that the Western leaders will get in the Kenya Kwanza alliance, he was firm that Mudavadi and Wetang’ula will not be Ruto’s running mate.
“When they came for discussion, we were very forthright with Musalia and Wetang’ula. They were told that we have already our own discussion and we have agreed that the running mate is for the mountain so as you come it’s good that you know and they came with that knowledge,” Gachagua stated.
The sentiments by the Ruto ally, come after recent opinion polls showed that the ANC leader is the most preferred person to be Ruto’s number two.
According to polls by Radio Africa Group, 33.9% of respondents prefer Mudavadi as their running mate for Ruto compared to 19.6 percent for Rigathi Gachagua.
Speaking on Monday, January 24 on a morning show on the KTN News channel, nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura said Mt Kenya must produce the presidential running mate for Kenya Kwanza.
“We in Mt Kenya are very categorical that the deputy president position is from our region. Our competitors would want to think that Mudavadi is going to be Ruto’s running mate, not at all,” Mwaura affirmed.
With the numbers that Mt Kenya boosts off, political pundits have generally opined that all leading presidential candidates will have their running mate from the region.
