Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has stirred fresh political tension, asserting that President William Ruto would not have won the 2022 presidential election without him as his running mate. In a bold statement, Gachagua urged the president to cease what he claims are efforts to have him impeached, allegedly through certain MPs being sent to undermine him.
The remarks have triggered a storm within the Kenya Kwanza coalition, further deepening the internal rift. A close ally of Gachagua defended the Deputy President, recalling Ruto’s strong opposition to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). According to the ally, the president fought BBI because it would have greatly benefited the people of Mt. Kenya by introducing the “one man, one vote, one shilling” policy—an agenda now seemingly sidelined.
In a swift response, MP Mwangi Kiunjuri, a prominent figure from Mt. Kenya, rebuked Gachagua using a folktale to depict him as a man isolated within the government. Kiunjuri’s message seemed aimed at highlighting the Deputy President’s diminishing influence.
Meanwhile, President Ruto’s inner circle continues to grow critical of Gachagua, with his top aide Farouk Kibet accusing the Deputy President of fostering tribalism, further escalating the tensions in the ruling party.
This latest exchange underscores the widening cracks within Kenya Kwanza, raising questions about the unity of Ruto’s administration as key allies in the Mt. Kenya region express dissatisfaction.
