Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has lashed out at a group of Mt Kenya musicians who recently visited Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, terming their actions a betrayal of the community.
The Deputy President on Friday hosted several top musicians from the region, saying the meeting focused on addressing exploitative cartels in the creative industry and finding policy solutions to support artists. He also lauded the entertainers for endorsing the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), calling their testimonies a sign of progress.
“The Creative industry is a multibillion-shilling business, and constant engagement with performing artists and all those in that space is imperative to find ways of supporting them through policy and protection of intellectual property rights,” Kindiki stated after the meeting.
But Gachagua, who appeared infuriated by the visit, urged Mt Kenya residents to stop supporting the musicians who attended the meeting, warning that they would face consequences for their perceived political disloyalty.
“Those who went to Ruto to ask for forgiveness—if not, I’ll order that no one listen to their music and no clubs should invite them to perform,” Gachagua said.
He went on to accuse one unnamed musician of falsely claiming he blocked their bid to vie for a parliamentary seat.
“Imagine one musician went to accuse me of being Mr Yes Sir, that I denied him a chance to vie for MP. A Standard Two drop-out wants to be an MP? A person who doesn’t know even one word in English to be the people’s representative?” Gachagua posed.
The remarks have sparked mixed reactions, with some defending the artists’ right to engage leaders while others criticized Gachagua’s harsh tone. The incident underscores ongoing political tensions and realignments within the Mt Kenya region.
