Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua clarified reports that the Kenya Kwanza administration was going after Azimio leader Raila Odinga and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s business empires.
Speaking at a church service at Jesus Winner Ministry, Nairobi County, on Sunday, March 5, Gachagua noted that they will end monopoly by allowing more competitors into the market and consequently push prices down.
He added that this would edge out the middlemen and hence benefit the local farmers. The DP referenced an article published on Sunday Nation.
From left to right: Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu attending a church service at Jesus Winner Ministry, Nairobi County, on Sunday, March 5, 2023.
Rigathi Gachagua
“We saw a headline on Nation, regarding our plan to destroy businesses by two families.
“In terms of gas they have been selling because of monopoly hence we have decided to bring in more competitors for the price to go down.
“In terms of milk, there has been a monopoly by one person, we’re opening that sector for competition to benefit the farmer and the prices to go down.
According to Gachagua, the Uhuru regime groomed the Azimio leader in a bid to continue monopolising the businesses and allegedly safeguard their interests.
“They knew why they did not want us to take the throne because they wanted to continue with State Capture.
“We are going to open up the sectors and ensure we all benefit,” he stated.
During the church service, Gachagua promised to release details regarding how Ksh16 billion was allegedly stolen before the Kenya Kwanza administration took over.
The DP also announced a Ksh5 million donation towards the purchase of church equipment.
According to the report by Sunday Nation, the government banned the importation of powdered milk that was linked to Uhuru’s Brookside Dairy business- which controls around 40 percent of the market share for processed milk.
In addition, the government sought to open the market for other players in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry- a move that would significantly hurt the dominance of East Africa Spectre Limited- linked to the Raila Odinga family.
According to the Spectre website, the company prides itself on being the leading and largest cylinder manufacturer in the Eastern and Central African region with a capacity of two million units in a year.
Energy Cabinet Secretary, Davis Chirchir, however, announced plans to allow more competitors into the market in a bid to cut down on gas prices.
In addition, President William Ruto promised to reduce the cost of a 6-kilogram gas cylinder to either Ksh500 or Ksh300 by June 2023.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga during an Azimio Council meeting.
The Standard
