NAIROBI, Kenya, March 31 – President William Ruto has addressed the impeachment of his former Deputy Rigathi Gachagua for the first time since his removal six months ago, blaming Gachagua for his own downfall.
Ruto said the ex-DP created conflicts with officials and MPs instead of focusing on his mandate.
“He was not working; he was always engaged in fights, constantly complaining about officials, including bloggers like Dennis Itumbi. I had to intervene every time until I got tired,” Ruto said in an interview from Sagana State Lodge on Monday night.
The President, who is in Central Kenya for a five-day tour, dismissed concerns over political tensions in the region, accusing Gachagua of thriving on “imagined crises.” He revealed that Gachagua had even demanded Ksh10 billion to resolve issues in the region.
“I refused when he asked me for Ksh10 billion to resolve issues in Mt. Kenya while threatening me that I will be a one-term president. This is someone I repeatedly tried to save from impeachment when leaders sought to remove him for intimidating them, but at some point, I gave up,” Ruto said.
Gachagua was impeached in October 2024 on charges including abuse of office and tribalism. Following his removal, Ruto appointed Kithure Kindiki as his replacement.
During Monday’s interview, Ruto expressed confidence in his long-standing relationship with Mt. Kenya residents, despite the political turmoil triggered by Gachagua’s removal.
“I have been visiting Mt. Kenya for over 20 years. This is not a friendship of months or days; it is one built over decades. Such a bond cannot be questioned based on a few months of political shifts,” Ruto stated. He added that his nine-county tour is aimed at updating residents on his administration’s progress, noting their crucial role in his election. “I am here because I was given a mandate by the people of Kenya, including those from Central Kenya. From tomorrow, it will be evident whether I have fulfilled my promises.”
Addressing criticism from his former deputy, Ruto dismissed claims that he had neglected the region, citing infrastructure projects launched under his leadership.
“I have heard some leaders claim that I have done nothing. But I was the one who started the road project from Marua, passing through Wamunyoro, where this same critic resides. That road was built under my leadership,” he said, in an apparent reference to Gachagua.
He also addressed the sacking of Justin Muturi whom he accused of incompetence when he was Attorney General.
“He was incompetent and that can be confirmed by various government departments. When I moved him to the Cabinet, he absconded meetings,” he said of Muturi who publicly challenged him several times to address the challenge of abductions of youths after his own son was abducted by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The visit comes amid rising political unrest in Mt. Kenya, where Gachagua has positioned himself as the region’s opposition leader. The former DP has intensified his attacks on Ruto, accusing him of taking credit for projects initiated during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure.
Gachagua’s impeachment sparked backlash in the region, which overwhelmingly supported Ruto in the 2022 election. Since then, discontent has grown, with sections of the electorate vowing not to back Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid.
Despite appointing Kindiki as Gachagua’s replacement, Ruto has struggled to win over the Mt. Kenya vote. Kindiki, from Tharaka Nithi, hails from a county that is often viewed as less influential within the broader Mt. Kenya political landscape.
During his tour, Ruto will launch and inspect multi-billion-shilling projects in infrastructure, housing, electricity, water, and industrial development. Among the key projects is the inspection of modern fresh produce markets aimed at benefiting small-scale traders. The initiative, part of a national plan to construct 500 such markets, seeks to provide traders with better working conditions, hygiene, and security.
Ruto is scheduled to commission completed projects, inspect ongoing ones, and launch new initiatives across Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Murang’a, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, and Kiambu counties.
Source: capitalfm
