Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has sharply rebuked former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for threatening musicians who recently met with him, labeling them as traitors and demanding public apologies.
The controversy has stirred significant debate in Kenyan political and cultural circles, as Kindiki condemned Gachagua’s intimidation tactics and warned that such behavior will no longer be tolerated.
The conflict began when Gachagua accused a group of musicians of betraying their community by meeting Kindiki and allegedly accepting bribes from the government.
Gachagua claimed that the artistes had been paid KSh 50,000 each, insinuating that their loyalty was for sale. He went further to threaten a boycott of their work and called on the public to shun them for what he described as an act of disloyalty.
In response, Kindiki expressed deep disappointment and outrage at the manner in which Gachagua was handling the matter. Speaking out firmly, Kindiki said such intimidation tactics and attempts to silence cultural voices would not be allowed.
He stated emphatically that the era when power brokers could bully and manipulate artists and ordinary citizens for political gain was over.
“Your time is up,” Kindiki declared, signaling a new chapter in Kenyan politics where intimidation would not be accepted.
He stressed the importance of protecting artists and cultural workers, whose work plays a vital role in society and should not be subject to political manipulation or threats.
Furthermore, Kindiki accused Gachagua of using cultural expression as a weapon to divide the Mount Kenya community, suggesting that the former deputy president was inciting discord among the people for political gain.
He also alleged that Gachagua had hired youth groups to disrupt public events such as funerals and weddings to create chaos and draw attention to himself.
By newsmedia