Gachagua’s “Cousins” Remark Under Fire: MCA Demands Accountability for Ukambani Underdevelopment
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Korogocho Member of County Assembly (MCA) Absolomon Odhiambo has urged the Kamba community to critically assess the sincerity of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s recent declaration of a “cousins” relationship between the Kikuyu and Kamba communities.
Odhiambo’s remarks come in response to Gachagua’s widely publicized “Hi Cousins!” greeting during recent political rallies in the Ukambani and Coast regions, where he advocated for a union of Bantu-speaking communities.
The MCA expressed skepticism about the timing and authenticity of Gachagua’s gesture, particularly in light of what he described as the persistent underdevelopment of the Ukambani region despite Central Kenya having produced three heads of state.
“Mwai Kibaki was there for ten years, did they realize you are cousins? Uhuru Kenyatta then came for another ten years, did he ever know you are cousins? And even Uhuru’s father Jomo Kenyatta ruled for 15 years, did he recognize you as cousins?” Odhiambo questioned, implying a long-standing neglect of the Kamba community by past Kikuyu leadership. He views Gachagua’s overture as a “direct ridicule” and a “sign of disrespect” to the Kamba community.
Gachagua’s “Macuzoo mko? Sisi na Wakamba, Waita, Wataveta, Mijikenda, we are one family. Sisi ni cousins,” statement, delivered to an excited crowd in Ukambani, quickly went viral and has since become a dominant topic across Kenyan social media platforms. He further emphasized his point by stating, “And I want to tell the people of Kasongo, I saw you shouting that I’m clinging to Kalonzo. You even want to interfere in family matters.”
The former Deputy President’s call for unity among Bantu communities has sparked considerable debate, with Odhiambo’s comments adding a critical voice to the ongoing discussion about historical development disparities and political gestures.
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