Mathira MP, Rigathi Gachagua, on Sunday took to the podium to defend Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru’s honour, after Interior Principal Secretary, Karanja Kibicho, launched an insulting attack on the county head on Friday, over a stalled medical research project.
The second in command at the Fred Matiang’i-led ministry had toured Kirinyaga county to check on the status of the controversial Ksh15 billion Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) project, without notifying the office of the governor, igniting a supremacy battle with the fiery governor.
Kibicho termed Waiguru’s slow implementation of the project as a ”stupid” and ”foolish” move, remarks that elicited the wrath of the latter, who took to social media to hit back at the PS.
Accompanying Deputy President William Ruto to a church service at Dandora in Nairobi, Rigathi momentarily put aside his differences with Waiguru, and noted with concern that government officials, based at Harambee House, had developed the habit of demeaning political leaders.
”…those who have been given power through appointment should be humble. Humility is a virtue second to none,” the MP started off.
”Tumeanza kuona hawa civil servants hapo Harambee House wamekuwa na kiburi imezidi…Tumeona juzi PS hapo Kirinyaga insulting an elected governor, anamwambia she is stupid and foolish (Civil servants at Harambee House have become too arrogant and are now insulting elected leaders. We saw the PS (Kibicho) in Kirinyaga telling the governor that she is stupid and foolish),” Rigathi noted.
He added that as an elected leader, Waiguru deserved to be accorded respect, and he was acting on his obligation to defend his fellow politician’s honour.
"Be humble" ~ TangaTanga brigade tells PS Kibicho
"Be humble" ~ TangaTanga brigade tells PS Kibicho
Posted by DAILY NATION on Sunday, 16 February 2020
The Tangatanga MP, however, did not let the chance to criticize Waiguru, on her political stand, slip.
”I don’t hold any brief for Ann Waiguru. In fact, I don’t agree with her on many issues. I don’t agree with her on creating an expanded executive to increase seats for wadosi (the big-fish). I don’t agree with her for purporting to speak for the Mt. Kenya region. I don’t agree with her for alleging that the Mt. Kenya region has agreed to support Raila Odinga, ” he asserted, nevertheless, holding that she deserved to be addressed with respect.