Details have emerged on what led to the unremarkable deterioration in the relationship between President William Ruto and the now impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
A story by the Nation newspaper has exclusively revealed that hours before Deputy President Gachagua checked into the Acacia Premier Hotel in Kisumu on the night of August 30, a trusted security aide had conducted a routine check on his suite. Unknown to the DP, this would mark the beginning of events that would contribute to his political downfall.
The hotel visit came after a long day spent alongside President William Ruto, as the two embarked on a tour of the Nyanza region. It was their first warm reception in the region since the disputed 2022 General Election, made possible by the thawing of relations with Raila Odinga, Nyanza’s political kingpin. Gachagua chose the high-end hotel to unwind after the day’s rallies.
What should have been a night of rest turned into a night of betrayal. Sources close to the DP revealed that someone had wiretapped his room. As Gachagua and a Rift Valley MP engaged in a lengthy, confidential conversation, details of their discussion were secretly recorded.
“It was just a gesture to ask for forgiveness, in case there was something I had unknowingly done that upset him,” Gachagua reportedly said, referring to attempts to reconcile with his boss, President Ruto. However, this conversation was not as private as he believed. Unbeknownst to Gachagua, the hotel room had been compromised.
Despite the advance security measures, including assurances that all necessary protocols had been followed, someone had successfully intercepted the conversation. Those recordings allegedly played a key role in the unfolding drama of his impeachment, feeding into the narrative that the relationship between Gachagua and Ruto had soured beyond repair.
The wiretapped conversation was only one part of the larger story, as clergymen and political insiders attempted to mediate peace between the President and his Deputy. Clergymen from various denominations, including ACK Archbishop James Ole Sapit, Catholic Bishop Anthony Muheria, and SDA’s Samson Nyaberi, were involved in efforts to reconcile the two leaders.
Sources close to the discussions confirmed that the tension between Gachagua and Ruto had reached a breaking point. Even after multiple meetings at State House, mediated by religious leaders, it became clear that Ruto was not interested in saving his deputy.
Lawyer Danstan Omari, speaking on behalf of some religious leaders, stated, “There have been concerted efforts by different church leadership to find peace between the DP and the President, but these efforts have failed.”
Gachagua’s fate was sealed when the recordings of his private conversations surfaced, contributing to his eventual impeachment. While the exact content of the recordings remains under wraps, they reportedly painted Gachagua in a negative light, further driving a wedge between him and Ruto.
Despite attempts to downplay the situation, including Gachagua’s insistence that his apology to the President was not an admission of guilt, the damage was done. As Gachagua himself admitted during an interview, “I want to clarify that my apology to President William Ruto didn’t imply that I am guilty. It was in no way an admission of wrongdoing.”
Yet, as more evidence from the wiretapped meeting came to light, Gachagua found himself increasingly isolated. His impeachment became inevitable, with powerful forces rallying against him, and the recordings from that fateful Kisumu meeting playing a crucial role in his political demise.