By John Mutiso
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched an attack on the media, accusing several outlets of deliberately misreporting and publishing false information following his address on Sunday.
Speaking on Wednesday, December 3, during the celebration and unveiling of newly elected Members of County Assembly (MCAs), Gachagua singled out Citizen TV reporter Stephen Letoo for publishing what he termed biased and false information.
The former DP pointed to media reports that followed his address during a Thanksgiving ceremony for the newly elected MCA for Kariobangi North on Sunday, November 30.
“Stephen Letoo filed a very biased report on Sunday. And you were personally there. Criminals attacked us in church and were driven away by church members,” he stated.
“They came back backed by police with guns and fought us. The OCS threw a teargas canister in the church. Then Letoo files a report that the police came to separate the gangs who were fighting. That’s a lie,” he continued.
Gachagua clarified his statements on Sunday, November 30, when he reportedly said that his party, DCP, would sweep all the top seats in Nairobi and 16 out of 17 parliamentary seats, including up to 90 per cent of MCA seats in the capital. He says the media misreported his statements.
“I want to ask the media to be responsible and to stop open bias. On Sunday, I said DCP is in talks with Wiper and other opposition parties. With the history of the voting patterns in Nairobi and party loyalty, the opposition can take 16 out of 17 parliamentary seats,” Gachagua noted.
He slammed some media outlets for lying, saying that he meant the seats in Nairobi are for the United Opposition, and DCP is part of the coalition.
Gachagua urged the media to report accurately and to stop twisting narratives, which he said are helping President William Ruto disseminate what he termed nonsense.
He dismissed claims that Nairobi’s DCP hopefuls would all come from the Kikuyu community, insisting that the group is just as Kenyan as any other and deserves representation.
In the midst of speculation about divisions, Gachagua affirmed the unity of the united opposition, saying it is strong and cannot be divided. He stated that a strong opposition requires a strong political party and promised to continue to strengthen the party in Nairobi and other parts of the country.
“We are very strong partners. Let nobody try to make me feel that I am committing any political crime by marketing my party. That is my job,” he stated.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka had earlier dismissed claims by Gachagua that the two had struck a deal for Wiper to withdraw its candidates from all major Nairobi seats in favour of DCP.
Kalonzo denied any such agreement and instead accused the media of spreading falsehoods to create divisions within the United Opposition.
“Stop this propaganda that Wiper has left all the seats in Nairobi for DCP. They have to try everything to create tensions between us,” Kalonzo stated at a function on Sunday, November 30.
Gachagua also insisted that DCP party nominations would be free and fair, and it wouldn’t matter what part of the country candidates came from.
