(Nairobi) – Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched a fierce attack on President William Ruto, accusing the government of rampant corruption and extrajudicial killings, issues they promised to end during their campaign.
In his defense against a motion to remove him from office, which highlights the irreparable damage to his relationship with President Ruto, Mr. Gachagua stated that he could not tolerate cruelty against citizens.
Mr. Gachagua dismissed the 11 charges brought against him as frivolous and urged Parliament to focus on the corruption scandals he claimed are widespread within the government.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi, ahead of his appearance in Parliament on Tuesday to defend himself, Mr. Gachagua criticized the Speakers of the two Houses—Moses Wetang’ula of the National Assembly and Amason Kingi of the Senate—accusing them of participating in a plot to control government shares.
“They accuse me of creating divisions and tribalism when I talk about shares, yet I am only referring to what was agreed upon in the pre-election deal signed with the President, which had been kept hidden,” Mr. Gachagua said.
He accused Mr. Wetang’ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi of prioritizing issues affecting their Western region, while blaming Mr. Kingi for negotiating his interests to become Senate Speaker instead of advocating for the interests of the Coast region, where he hails from.
Mr. Gachagua also had harsh words for opposition leader Raila Odinga, claiming that he, too, had become involved in the government’s share allocation scheme. He referred to the formation of an inclusive government where former ODM leaders were appointed as ministers.
These appointments include former ODM deputy leaders Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, former national chairperson John Mbadi, former Political Affairs Director Opiyo Wandayi, and former electoral board member Beatrice Askul.
The Deputy President remains adamant that he did nothing wrong in publicly criticizing the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and its top officials, as alleged in the charges listed in the motion for his removal. He argued that he learned from his boss, President Ruto, who, when he was Deputy President, frequently criticized security agencies.
In June, Mr. Gachagua criticized NIS Director General Noordin Haji over the government’s handling of protests, blaming his office for failing to provide advice to the President that could have prevented violence and deaths.
This is part of the misconduct charges listed by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse in his motion to remove Mr. Gachagua from office.
“The NIS plays a very crucial role in ensuring the security of our country. It is responsible for gathering intelligence and sharing it with all our law enforcement agencies to keep the nation safe at all times,” Gachagua emphasized.
“President William Ruto, when he was Deputy President, once criticized the then-NIS Director General. In another instance, he sharply criticized the Inspector General of Police for poor performance. So, I have learned from my boss how this job is done,” he said.
He added that both he and the President are criticized daily but do not complain.
| Key Figure | Position | Accusation by Gachagua |
|---|---|---|
| William Ruto | President | Government engulfed in corruption |
| Moses Wetang’ula | Speaker, National Assembly | Part of plot to control government shares |
| Amason Kingi | Speaker, Senate | Neglecting Coast region’s interests |
| Musalia Mudavadi | Prime Cabinet Secretary | Prioritizing Western region’s concerns |
| Raila Odinga | Opposition Leader | Involved in government share scheme |
