Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Director of Communications Philip Etale has hit out at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for claiming that the government has been targeting the Mt. Kenya region with illicit brew following his ouster from office.
Taking to his official X account on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, Etale stated that Gachagua is trying to use his frustrations to whip emotions of the people of the Central region by lying to them with unimaginable stories.
Etale on Gachagua’s conduct
Etale further stated that Gachagua’s ethic profiling of government officers including the Principal Secretary for State Department for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo and others, portrays him as a tribalist and not a leader.
“This man Gachagua is using his frustrations to whip emotions of the people of the mountain by lying to them and telling them story za jaba. Ethic profiling of govt officers including Interior PS @ray_omollo and others portrays him as a tribalist and not a leader,” Etale stated.
Aptly put SC.
— Philip Etale (@EtalePhilip) December 24, 2024
This man Gachagua is using his frustrations to whip emotions of the people of the mountain by lying to them and telling them story za jaba. Ethic profiling of govt officers including Interior PS @ray_omollo & others portrays him as a tribalist and not a leader. https://t.co/H7aghbhk2L
Etale’s remarks follow a war of words between Gachagua and the government after the former DP hit out at the government following the emergence of illicit brew in parts of Mt Kenya.
Gachagua’s claims
Speaking during a church service in Naivasha on Sunday, December 22, 2024, Gachagua claimed that the government had undone his efforts to do away with illicit brew in Mt Kenya.
According to Gachagua, PS Omollo was instructed by President William Ruto to reopen all alcohol factories manufacturing substandard alcohol and urged them to sell the alcohol exclusively in Mount Kenya.
“The Interior Security PS was instructed by the President to reopen all those alcohol factories, and they were urged to sell the alcohol exclusively in Mount Kenya. It is not sold in Rift Valley or anywhere else. Yesterday, three people died in Bahati,” Gachagua claimed.
“Since they forced me out of office, the President has ordered all the illicit alcohol that kills people to be brought here to destroy our young people.”
PS Omollo’s response
In response to Gachagua’s claims in a statement released on Monday, December 23, 2024, PS Omollo dismissed the claims, terming Gachagua’s sentiments as selfish and politically motivated saying the government does not produce, distribute or retail any alcoholic drinks.
“The State Department of Internal Security and National Administration wishes to condemn the reckless statements made by the impeached former Deputy President Mr. Rigathi Gachagua in a church service he attended yesterday accusing the government of deliberately targeting citizens of Kenya in Mt. Kenya region with illicit and counterfeit alcohol distribution,” Omollo said.
“Only this weekend we had the unfortunate tragic loss of lives of three Kenyans in Nakuru following the consumption of illicit alcohol and their families are in mourning. We take great exception that such grave national matters can be trivialized by one individual, on a church podium nonetheless, without empathy for the families that may be struggling with this crisis.”
According to Omollo, insinuating that any executive can direct the sale of any alcohol, whether poisonous or not is mischievous and misconceived and would amount to illegality.
“In every corner of this country the government officials involved in the fight against illicit alcohol include chiefs and their assistants who are part of their communities and it’s inconceivable that they would preside over what Mr. Gachagua accuses them of,” he added.
