Kenya’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Halima Mucheke, has urged the Meru community to demand the deputy president position in future political alignments, saying the region should not support any presidential candidate who does not guarantee it.
Speaking during a radio interview, Mucheke said the Ameru community must make the deputy presidency its minimum bargaining point—even in engagements with opposition formations such as those linked to Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua and Fred Matiang’i.
“Meru must demand the deputy president slot in any political arrangement. We should not support any presidential candidate who does not guarantee us that position,” she said.
Mucheke credited President William Ruto for elevating the region through the appointment of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
“President Ruto has given the Ameru community recognition through the appointment of Prof Kithure Kindiki. We must protect that position politically,” she added.
She expressed confidence that Ruto would back Kindiki in 2032, while warning residents against what she termed opposition incitement.
“Kindiki is capable of advancing the region’s interests, and we should not be misled by opposition narratives,” she said.
The ambassador also defended the government’s economic record, saying the country had faced instability in the past but is now on a recovery path.
“The economy had deteriorated and the instability of the shilling was frustrating, but President Ruto understands how to steer recovery,” she said.
Mucheke pointed to ongoing projects in Meru—including housing, roads, electricity and expansion of Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital—as evidence of development.
She also took aim at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of sidelining women leaders after the 2022 elections.
“We approached him after the elections to support the government, but he blamed me for the Meru loss and told me I would get nothing,” she claimed.
Mucheke, who was later appointed chairperson of the Kenya Tourism Authority before her diplomatic posting in 2024, said her role in The Hague involves engaging investors and representing Kenya in global institutions.
On miraa trade, she said efforts to reopen international markets remain challenging due to legal restrictions.
“We have tried to engage on reopening markets, but legal barriers in some countries are still difficult to reverse,” she said.
She also questioned Gachagua’s recent criticism of the government.
“He defended this government while in office. Why is he now saying there is no development?” she posed.
