Barely 24 hours after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua castigated musicians from the Mt Kenya region who declined to align themselves with the Kenya Kwanza coalition during the presidential campaign period in last year’s election, a section of the musicians have termed the DP’s attack against some of them as petty, uncalled for and demeaning of his office.
The musicians now claim that it was their democratic right to align with and support a presidential candidate of their choice just as any other Kenyan. They termed the DP’s attack as unfortunate, especially coming from a person of his caliber. They have however vowed to exercise their democratic rights in political matters and that no amount of threats or intimidation will deter them from supporting a political formation of their choice.
DP Gachagua made the unfortunate remarks while addressing mourners in Gatundu during the burial of Pauline Nyokabi the elder sister to Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Investments, Trade and Industry Moses Kuria where he, slammed Mt Kenya musicians who campaigned for Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance coalition in last year’s General Election.
“When things were very difficult, all musicians, gospel and secular from this region abandoned us for money”, the DP said. The musicians in a quick rejoinder said that it was wrong for the DP to allege that they supported Azimio because of their lust for money saying music is their source of livelihood and that there was nothing wrong in receiving payments from Azimio for the work they did.
He claimed that all Mt Kenya musicians save for Ngaruiya Junior and Muigai wa Njoroge abandoned Kenya Kwanza for Azimio. They are now demanding that the DP withdraws and apologizes to the entire entertainment industry over the unfortunate and degrading remarks made against musicians from the Mount Kenya region.
They wonder why Gachagua did not speak against a popular Kikuyu musician Kimani Wa Turraco who released anti-Raila songs while campaigning for William Ruto. The song dubbed ‘Haiwezekani Raila Is Big No’, after the ODM leader started making inroads in Mt Kenya.
In the inciting song, the singer urges Mt Kenya residents not to be “misled” to back Raila in his bid to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta. He wondered why Kikuyus were being urged to support Raila, whom his ‘brother’ Uhuru, used to call a mad man before their handshake.
