NAIROBI, Kenya — In a dramatic and emotionally charged speech during his aunt’s funeral in Nyeri County, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua fired shots at President William Ruto, accusing him of betraying the Mt. Kenya region through a campaign of political persecution.
“If I had listened to my aunt, we would not be in this mess,” Gachagua said at the burial of Gladys Gathoni Kahua.
“She warned me that Ruto would first persecute me, then my children, and eventually my community.”
According to Gachagua, Ruto’s administration has quietly launched a sweeping political purge targeting key Mt. Kenya figures in top government institutions.
He further claimed that last weekend, a covert meeting was held at State House, during which the President allegedly instructed regional police commanders to begin a crackdown—specifically aimed at his Kikuyu community.
“Out of the more than 400 people who have been arrested, 92pc are from Mt. Kenya… all on trumped-up charges,” Gachagua alleged.
These comments come amid a broader wave of protests and arrests across the country, many tied to anti-government demonstrations involving Gen Z youth.
Gachagua pointed to these numbers as proof of an intentional, ethnically charged campaign—one he says he enabled by helping Ruto ascend to power.
Gachagua didn’t just direct his fury at the President. He took a pointed swipe at Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah, accusing him of working hand-in-hand with Ruto to silence critics and suppress youthful dissent.
He cited the case of Peter Kinyanjui, aka Kawanjiru, a youth leader affiliated with the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), who was rearrested in Kiambu and linked to the burning of a law court and police station raids.
“Ichung’wah is not just enabling this, he is leading it,” Gachagua claimed.
Ichung’wah, who has remained a vocal defender of the administration, has yet to respond to the accusations.
Gachagua’s speech wasn’t just a takedown—it was also a confession. In a rare moment of political humility, he apologized to the Mt. Kenya community for championing Ruto’s presidential bid in 2022.
“This mess we are in is my fault. I want you to forgive me,” he told mourners. “My aunt warned me that William Ruto is an evil man.”
It’s the kind of statement that could radically reshape the 2027 political landscape, especially in Mt. Kenya, where Ruto enjoyed immense support during the 2022 elections.
