Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has once again stirred the pot after repeating his previous controversial remarks that priorities in the Kenya Kwanza administration will be given to those he terms as ‘shareholders.’

DP Gachagua told off his critics as he noted that these proclaimed shareholders include leaders who supported President William Ruto’s State House bid and fought to get him there.

The DP, who spoke on Friday at the Bomas of Kenya during the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party National Governing Council, intimated that the government will not break bread with those who opposed President Ruto’s bid.

He thereby advised the President to look no further than the UDA delegates present at the conference when seeking foot soldiers who played major roles in his electoral victory for government appointment.

Gachagua, however, acknowledged that the President was elected to serve all Kenyans and develop all parts of the country, a role he will continue to play.

“Wananikashifu nikiongea mambo ya shares, mimi sina maneno. Kenya ni yetu sisi sote, na kila Mkenya apate maendeleo kwa sababu analipa kodi. Rais ni baba ya Wakenya wote, afanyie Wakenya wote kazi,” he said.

“Lakini in the leadership of President William Ruto, there is some shareholding. Na rais wale shareholders halisi katika uongozi wako ni wale wameketi hapa leo. Na ndio tunasema rais afanyie Wakenya wote kazi, kila sehemu ya Kenya ipate maendeleo, lakini wale wa kumsaidia ndio afaulu ni wale wanamwamini, waliounga yeye mkono na wanamwelewa.”

The DP added: “Kwa sababu huwezi chukua wale hawakuelewi, wale walikuwa wanasema hutoshi, hufai uwaambie wakusaidie kazi; kazi yako itakwama. Kwa hivyo rais mimi nataka niseme mbele yako na mbele ya chama ya kwamba in your leadership, these are the true shareholders and they must occupy the right place because they believed in you, your policies and ability to steer this country to the next level.”

This comes amidst sharp criticism from a section of the political class over the government shareholding remarks that he originally made in February this year, which were perceived to mean that Kenya Kwanza staunch supporters will receive plump rewards while members of the opposition would be given the least consideration.

Some of the criticism even came from within the Kenya Kwanza alliance itself, with Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria and National Assembly Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro saying the shareholder narrative should be shelved.

"For me all parts of Kenya are useful, there is no part that is useless because you are contributing with your fish, cotton, and avocados, are you not shareholders? Everybody in this country is a shareholder," Kuria said during a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a County Aggregation and Industrial Park in Siaya.

Osoro, on his part, noted: "Stop this shareholders issue. All Kenyans are in government and all of us want to be involved in development issues. Honeymoon is over, celebrations are over."