NAIROBI,Kenya, Aug 15- Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has launched a scathing attack on his predecessor Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of disrespect and arrogance while warning that he will confront him politically in the 2027 elections.Kindiki said his continued reference to Gachagua as his “brother” was not a sign of affection or fear, but a reflection of the longstanding unity among the Agikuyu, Embu, Meru and Mbeere communities.“When you hear me addressing you as my brother, it is not because I fear you nor because I love you so much, because you have a lot of disrespect. I am trying to love you, but you have a lot of disrespect,” Kindiki said.Speaking during the Mt Kenya Elders Solemn Assembly in Nembure, Manyatta Constituency, Embu County, on Saturday, Kindiki said Gachagua could not dictate how he should address him.“You have said openly that I should not call you my brother. I want to tell you, Mr. Rigathi, it is not upon you to tell me how I should call you. It is not your business; it is my business,” he said.Kindiki said the elders had defined the communities of Mt Kenya as one, making Gachagua his brother regardless of their political differences.“I am calling you my brother because the elders of our communities—Aembu, Agikuyu, Ameru and Mbeere—told me that our community is one. Therefore, you are my brother by blood, not by choice,” he said.The Deputy President accused Gachagua of disrespecting leaders above and below him, questioning his political conduct and warning him against further attacks.“I don’t know what kind of a human being you are. You disrespect your seniors, juniors and your brother. Now, how can you be the only right man in the whole world? You have to live well with your brothers,” Kindiki said.He also blamed what he described as Gachagua’s “arrogance” for his removal from the Deputy President’s office, saying he had personally attempted to persuade him to maintain a good working relationship with President William Ruto.According to Kindiki, he visited Gachagua several times while serving as Interior Cabinet Secretary and urged him to remain loyal to Ruto, arguing that doing so could have positioned him for the presidency in future.“I came into your office many days when I was the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and urged you to stay well with the President, be faithful to him, so that tomorrow you could also become the President of the Republic of Kenya,” he said.Kindiki warned that he could disclose details of their past interactions if Gachagua continued attacking him.“Do not push me to start revealing secrets, the way I tried to help you not to move out of office, but you refused to listen to me,” he said.The Deputy President also directly challenged Gachagua’s political campaign against Ruto’s re-election, saying the two would face him together in the 2027 contest.“Those leaders you are campaigning for to be President, I have heard you saying Kalonzo will be the President. I tell you to continue with that business. I have no problem with you. You should wait for next year; we will deal with you together with President William Ruto,” Kindiki said.He further dismissed the “one-term” campaign associated with Gachagua’s allies.“You go around with your young people saying ‘one term.’ I dare you, continue with that nonsense; I will deal with you. My brother, I promise you, I will deal with you. I cannot allow you to misuse our community,” he said.Kindiki’s remarks came as he called on Mt Kenya elders to intervene in growing political divisions between Mt Kenya East and West.He urged politicians to stop blaming the western bloc and allow elders to engage their counterparts in an effort to rebuild unity within the wider Mt Kenya community.“I plead with you, respectfully, to stop blaming our brothers and sisters from Mount Kenya West because there is no vote that has been cast and they have refused to vote for us,” Kindiki said.He said the Deputy President’s position should be viewed as a community opportunity rather than an individual entitlement, defending Ruto’s decision to appoint him after Gachagua’s impeachment.“This position of Deputy President is not my personal position, and it was not also for Rigathi personally. It was and it is for the community,” he said.Kindiki also urged the councils of elders to confront rising political violence in Central Kenya, warning that disagreements should not destroy property or divide communities.“This culture of violence must come to a stop. We cannot allow our young people to turn to violence for whatever reason,” he said.He reaffirmed Mt Kenya East’s support for Ruto’s 2027 re-election, describing it as a political obligation for the region.“For us who come from Mount Kenya, especially Mount Kenya East, supporting William Ruto for a second term is not an option; it is a must. We must do it because voting for William Ruto next year is voting for ourselves,” Kindiki said.