Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called for mutual respect among political leaders, issuing a brief but pointed message as tensions continue to rise within Kenya’s political class.
In a short statement shared Wednesday, Kindiki said leaders must prioritise respect in their engagements.
“Tuheshimiane, hio tu,” he wrote — a Swahili phrase loosely translated to “Let us respect each other, that is all.”
Although the Deputy President did not directly name any individual, the remarks come amid an escalating war of words between government allies and critics, particularly involving former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Gachagua, who has since broken ranks with President William Ruto, has been openly critical of the administration, accusing it of sidelining leaders from the Mt Kenya region and misrepresenting its economic record.
His criticisms have intensified in recent weeks as he campaigns across the region seeking to rally support against the current leadership.
Kindiki’s message comes just days after he defended the government’s performance during a joint parliamentary group meeting between lawmakers from the United Democratic Alliance and the Orange Democratic Movement at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
At that meeting, the Deputy President presented the government’s three-year scorecard, highlighting improvements in economic indicators, job creation programmes and infrastructure development.
Kindiki rose to the deputy presidency after a dramatic political fallout between President Ruto and Gachagua, which exposed deep divisions within the ruling coalition.
The rift reshaped the country’s political landscape, with the administration later pushing what it described as a “broad-based government” that has seen increased cooperation between Kenya Kwanza and sections of the opposition ODM in Parliament.
Analysts say the ongoing political exchanges between current and former government allies risk deepening divisions, particularly in the Mt Kenya region where both Gachagua and Kindiki have been seeking influence.
