Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called on leaders allied to the Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition to stop their attacks against Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichung'wah and his Kiharu counterpart Ndindi Nyoro.
The two legislators have in the past two days come under heavy criticism over alleged involvement in the planning of attacks on properties owned by the families of Azimio leader Raila Odinga and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Raila's Spectre Gas plant located along Mombasa Road and the Kenyatta family's farm in Northlands City, Ruiru, were invaded by armed goons on Monday and property of unknown value destroyed by groups opposed to the ongoing anti-government protests.
But speaking at Kangocho Secondary School in Mathira, Nyeri county, on Wednesday, Gachagua defended the two MPs, saying the opposition was being used to fight leaders from the Mount Kenya region.
He said Ichung'awa is a respected leader in Mt Kenya with a bright future and was only targeted by leaders keen to block his political success.
“The previous administration destroyed all leaders from Mt Kenya…they did not want any leader to emerge from this region. Kimani is a respected leader with a good brain and focus. He has a future. He is the second seniormost leader in this region after me and he has a responsibility to unite the leadership and defend economic interests of the people of this region,” Gachagua said.
He said the 'malicious' acts of the leaders won't succeed.
“They tried to fight us when he (Uhuru) was President but it was not possible. How can they fight us when they are out of government?" Gachagua said adding that he won't tire from protecting and mentoring budding politicians from the Mt Kenya region.
Gachagua's remarks come a day after Raila accused the two leaders of tarnishing the Mau Mau freedom fighters' name.
Raila, while linking Gachagua and the two leaders to recent attacks on private properties, said the protests called by the opposition were within the law.
"Therefore, there should be no excuse whatsoever for someone to go and invade someone's property in this manner. It must be something that had been planned for a long period of time.
"Anyone behind the idea of grabbing land belonging to a Kenyan in this manner can not be said to be a leader of government if this is something that is being done under the hospices of the deputy president of this country. This country must be very sorry indeed," Raila said when he visited Northlands ranch in Ruiru yesterday.
"This can not be done in the name of Mau Mau. Mau Mau was a movement for the liberation of this county and never fought against fellow Africans. Mau Mau was supposed to liberate this country from the occupation by colonialists who grabbed our land.
"Anybody who claims to be a descendant of Mau Mau must be a true Kenyan patriot... You can not be an anarchist. You can not promote land grabbing...You are a shame to the history of this country," he added.
