‘Was I at Isiolo when they shouted ‘Uongo’ at him’? – Gachagua denies credit score in youths’ anti-Ruto chants
Sunday 09th February, 2025 09:37 PM|
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Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has distanced himself from the latest chaos that erupted in Isiolo County throughout President William Ruto’s public handle.
The incident occurred on Friday, February 7, 2025, throughout Ruto’s four-day tour of Kenya’s Northeastern area, the place he confronted a hostile reception from sections of the native youth.
In a joint media interview with Kikuyu stations on Sunday, February 9, Gachagua dismissed claims linking him to the unrest, firmly denying any involvement in inciting the gang towards the president.
The former DP emphasised that he was not current in Isiolo in the course of the incident and had no connection to the youth’s actions.
Gachagua criticized the federal government’s response to the state of affairs, mentioning that the younger folks concerned had been arrested and subjected to harsh remedy following the confrontation.
He additionally condemned President Ruto’s response, accusing him of resorting to non-public assaults towards the youth, together with allegations of drug abuse, just because they expressed their dissatisfaction by difficult his statements in the course of the occasion.
“Was it really me who was in Isiolo when people shouted ‘uongo’ at him? I was at my place. That evening, the youth were arrested and beaten, and the president insulted them, accusing them of drug usage to their disadvantage, just because they told him he was lying,” Gachagua acknowledged.
Ruto in Isiolo
The confrontation unfolded when a piece of the youth clashed verbally during the rally. The pressure escalated, forcing President Ruto and his allies to battle to ship their message amid loud chants of “uongo” (lies) from the gang.
Reacting to the disruption, President Ruto asserted that drug traffickers had orchestrated the chaos by sending youths to disrupt the assembly.
He issued a warning, emphasizing the federal government’s stance towards such actions.
“I am aware that drug dealers have sent the youth to come and cause a disturbance at this meeting. Be warned, young people—you cannot threaten the government. A foreigner cannot come and turn Isiolo into a drug den. It won’t happen,” Ruto asserted.
Elders apologise to Ruto
Elders from the Somali neighborhood formally apologized to President William Ruto following the heckling incident.
Addressing the media on Sunday, the elders, led by Somali Council of Elders Chairperson Abdulkadir Shariff, expressed their disappointment over the disrespect proven to the Head of State throughout his handle.
“Our main reason for coming out to speak today is as a result of what happened during the President’s visit while addressing residents at the Prisons land,” Shariff mentioned.
Shariff emphasised that the incident didn’t replicate the values of the Somali neighborhood or the residents of Isiolo.
“We are not happy about what happened especially we the Somalis and all the good people of Isiolo.There was no reason to heckle the Head of State,” he added.