NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 6 – Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged his Mt Kenya backyard to sire more children, saying he regrets having only two.
Speaking during an interview on the Kikuyu radio station Inooro FM on Friday, Gachagua pleaded with people of his Mount Kenya backyard to embrace larger families, emphasizing that there is no reason to limit family size.
“I am telling my people from Mount Kenya to sire more children, 5, 6, 7, 8 (children)… God will help you, and you will be able to raise them,” he passionately urged, highlighting the practicality and benefits of larger families.
His personal reflections touched upon the influence of Western world mentality on family planning decisions. He revealed that he grew up in a large family of nine siblings but now finds himself with only two children.
“I regret this decision, and this is all an influence of the Western world mentality,” he acknowledged, recognizing the impact of external cultural influences.
Gachagua candidly expressed his feelings of being misled by colonial influences on family size. “I was deceived by the white man to only get two children. It’s the stupidity of that era because we were still naive and believed everything the white man said,” he lamented.
This shift in mindset is not just about personal reflection but is integral to the preservation of cultural values and the demographic structure of the Mount Kenya region.
Gachagua’s interview also delved into the issue of alcoholism, particularly in the context of the Mount Kenya region. He framed his spirited fight against alcoholism as a means to safeguard the Central Kenya population.
“All the illicit alcohol was brought to central Kenya, and it was a ploy to put an end to our extensive population,” Deputy President Gachagua asserted. He recognized the negative impact of alcoholism on the region’s demographic structure, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the issue.
He painted a stark picture of the challenges posed by alcoholism, noting that young individuals, including married men, would spend nights in dire conditions due to alcohol consumption. “Our children were spending nights in dungeons. Young married men would get drunk, and instead of sleeping on the bed, they would sleep under the bed. Where were we to get children? That’s why I’m very determined to end this business of illicit brews,” he declared.
During the interview, Gachagua raised concerns about Mount Kenya youth who migrate to urban centers in search of economic opportunities but fail to return home during the national census. This trend results in an inaccurate population count, ultimately impacting the allocation of national resources.
“Those who came to the city to find a living become Nairobians… The population number is what brings resources… Let us go back home when the Census is happening,” he urged, emphasizing the importance of an accurate population count for the region’s representation and resource allocation.
His plea for larger families and his commitment to addressing issues that affect population growth in the Mount Kenya region underscore a broader call to preserve cultural heritage and secure a thriving future for the region. His message is a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural values and community well-being in an era of evolving societal norms and global influences.
