Deputy President Gachagua Addresses Critics on Tribal Identity

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hit back at his critics, asserting that he will not shy away from being proud of his tribe.

Amidst allegations of advancing tribalism, Gachagua emphasized that every Kenyan should be proud of their mother tongue.

“Everybody should be proud of your origin and identity; nobody should ever make you feel embarrassed about your origin and identity,” Gachagua declared.

Speaking at the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya International Conference in Mombasa on Wednesday, Gachagua reiterated his connection to his roots.

“I don’t want to say a lot. I want to go to Nairobi briefly, then I go to the village,” he stated. “I don’t know why anybody would have a problem with where we come from.”

This statement is widely seen as a direct response to critics who argue that his politics are overly focused on Mount Kenya, despite his national office. Opponents have accused him of advancing tribalism instead of uniting the country.

On Wednesday, the Deputy President defended his stance, insisting that Kenyans should not feel ashamed of their tribal affiliations.

“Kila mtu ako na kwao, hii Mombasa na Nairobi ni kiwanja ya kutafuta riziki, but mwisho kabisa unajua utarudi (Everybody has their home; in Mombasa and Nairobi, we come to eke a living, but we know we shall finally go home),” he said.

Gachagua warned against chastising others for speaking their first language or addressing their tribespeople. “Let us not pretend that we are what we are not, and nobody should ever get embarrassed about your origin, your identity, and your language. Hizo vitu ulipewa na mwenyezi Mungu bure (You were given those things freely by God) without any application, and God never told you where to be born and among which people,” he asserted.

Defending his use of Kikuyu when addressing rallies and meeting his constituents, Gachagua emphasized that language is a key element of identity. “I am talking English here because most of you might not understand my language. I will speak Swahili when I go where people don’t understand English, but if I go to the village, what business do I have talking to the people of the village in English, and I am not a Msungu?” he questioned.

He addressed Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu directly: “Like wewe Machogu, when you go to Kisii, what business do you have addressing those people in English? Si hiyo ni majivuno na maringo? Tuache madharau (Isn’t that pride and chest-thumbing? Let’s stop the arrogance).”

President William Ruto has recently criticized leaders for advancing divisive politics that threaten to balkanize the country along tribal lines, underscoring the need for national unity.