Politics

19 September 2023

• While attending the Seventh Coffee Producer and Roaster Forum, Gachagua praised Kenya highlighting that among its main tourist attractions are tigers.

• Tigers are only found in Asian countries like India, Nepal, Russia, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam to mention but a few.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in his humorous way has finally addressed the "Kenya has tigers," remark which him made last week during his latest international trip.

H.E Gachagua was at Medellin City, Colombia, where he attended the Seventh Coffee Producer and Roaster Forum when he made the statement that turned him and us as a nation into laughing stocks as it is common knowledge that Tigers are only found in Asian countries like India, Nepal, Russia, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam to mention but a few.

Now the politician is backtracking his comment noting it wasn't out of ignorance but a sheer mix-up as English isn't his first language.

While defending his statement and addressing his critics, the father of 2 maintained that he knows there are no tigers in Kenya.

"Some of us when speaking think in our mother tongue then translate," started off the Deputy President.

H.E Gachagua went on to highlight that in his mother tongue, which is Kikuyu, the tiger and the leopard have the same name and that is what got him super confused while making the speech.

"In the Kikuyu community where I come from, the leopard and the tiger are the same thing. Some critics asked me which tigers are in Kenya and now I'm telling them, the leopard and the tiger are the same thing," the father of two said in a bid to clarify the mix-up and reassure people that he was learned.

Finishing up the politician went on to market Kenya's wildlife asking his critics to visit Kenya's National Park and see the amazing animals we have to offer for themselves.

Still making light of the matter, the deputy president went on to tell people they should visit Kenya and see the "tigers" that Kenya has to offer.

"They're the same thing... the critics can go see them in our National Park," H.E Rigathi Gachagua said while wrapping up.

While addressing prospective investors in Kenya on Thursday, 15th September, H.E Gachagua said Kenya has some rare species of wildlife, including Tigers.

“As you come to invest in Kenya, we have many facilities for tourism. We have rare species of wildlife [namely] elephants, lions, buffalo and Tigers.” he told the Colombian investors he was trying to bag.