Rigathi Gachagua Blames JKIA Backup Generator Failure On Uhuru Kenyatta's Regime: "Bought Fake One"

• Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has been under fire from Kenyans over power outages at the country's largest airport
• The CS blamed the failure of the backup generator to pick up whenever there was a power outage on sabotage by unnamed individuals
• The trend that has tainted the reputation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has seen some leaders and Kenyans call for Murkomen's resignation

Michael Ollinga is a journalist at TUKO.co.ke with over 10 years of experience covering courts and crimes, special reports, and current affairs in Kenya.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has blamed the backup generator failure at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on former president Uhuru Kenyatta's regime.

Power outage at JKIA

The failure of the backup generator to pick up whenever national blackouts affecting the airport happened has seen Kenyans blame Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.

Leaders, including Nandi Senator Kiprotich Cherargei, have more than once called for Murkomen's resignation over the issue.

Recently, Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki and his Nyeri counterpart Mutahi Kahiga also called for the sacking of Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Murkomen.

Rigathi Gachagua defends Kipchumba Murkomen

Speaking in Baringo on Thursday, December 14, after buying goats worth over KSh 15 million alongside President William Ruto, Gachagua defended Murkomen against sacking calls.

The DP argued that Murkomen was not to blame for the failure of the generator at JKIA because he was not the Transport CS when it was purchased, claiming that the power generator was bought during the former regime under Uhuru.

"Our transport CS is doing well. I have seen some people calling for his resignation because the generator at JKIA was not working. It was not him who bought it. The generator, which is fake, was bought by the former regime.

Rigathi Gachagua JKIA generator failure on Uhuru Kenyatta's regime

"The generator fails whenever it is turned on. I want Kipchumba to buy another generator and forget about the former regime's generator. We found a lot of things in a bad state, and they now want to put that burden on Kipchumba, yet it is the former regime leaders who spent a lot of money on a fake generator that cannot sustain the airport," Gachagua claimed.

He called on Murkomen to first buy a new generator and focus on building a modern airport that would enhance Kenya's aviation sector's reputation across the world.

Gachagua reiterated that Ruto had done excellently in turning the country's economy around and urged Kenyans to be patient.

He said the country's economy was like a patient in the Intensive Care Unit that needs to progress gradually before being discharged, and that was exactly what Kenya Kwanza was observing.

Gachagua had earlier said that Kenya Kwanza was not able to clear a 10-year economic mess in two years.