Gachagua: One man, one shilling isn't about taking away from others

 

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua pushes for One man, One shilling

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has rubbished claims that his push for One man, One shilling would deny other regions resources.

The DP said it was unfortunate that some people were misrepresenting what he said was a genuine formula to ensure a fair share of national resources.

''Why is it that when we talk about sharing resources, it is about tribalism, it is simply being reasonable, it is a good argument,'' Gachagua said.

The DP said the one man, one shilling is not a formula only for the Mount Kenya region but for the ''whole Republic.''

"I want to ask our leaders who represent regions where there are many people not to oppose this formula, how do you oppose a formula that is good for your people,'' he said in Muragua on Saturday.

He was officiating a fund drive in aid of school-going children in Mary Wa Maua's constituency.

Gachagua said his clarion call for one man, one shilling is about equity so that the downtrodden can also get their fair share of the national cake.

"When I speak about fairness in sharing of national resources it is about our children, when we talk about one man, one shilling, it is not about taking away from others so that we give our people,'' Gachagua said.

"It is not about Mt Kenya alone, it is about the whole country, all that we are talking about is fairness.''

Gachagua insisted that one man, one shilling will address unfairness.

"We are saying that a child in Maragua, Wajir, Turkana, Migori, Laikipia must all be equal,'' he said.

"If a child from Maragua is getting sh20,000 for a bursary, that from Garissa should also get Sh20,000, that is all.''

The DP has recently stirred controversy and attracted attacks over his one-man, one-shilling push with his critics terming the agitation as one meant to instigate tribal hatred.

Gachagua has been attacked by some leaders from his Mount Kenya backyard who have called him a tribalist, hiding behind the revenue formula to whip ethnic tensions.

However, Gachagua rubbished the claims on Saturday, insisting that he is pursuing fairness and equity in the division of national resources.

"When we say that, have we abused anybody? We are saying all these are our children and everybody should be treated fairly,'' he said.

"We are saying that if we are drilling a borehole, we must look at how many people that will serve. In the case of Ruiru where there are 800,000 people, we must have boreholes that can serve all those people.''

The DP chided his critics why they have not called for the release of prisoners whose majority he said are people from his region.

''People should not be condemned because they are many, that is God's plan, even in Kamiti our people are many but I have not heard people, saying that the majority should be released,'' he said.

''Why is it that when we say let us share equally, there is a problem, if that is a problem then let us also go to Kamiiti and look at who comes from where and release those who are many.''

by JAMES MBAKA