NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has told President William Ruto to begin preparing his handover notes, declaring that Kenyans are determined to vote him out in the 2027 General Election.
In a statement, Gachagua dismissed Ruto’s focus on retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, arguing that Kenyatta is not his opponent in the next election.
Gachagua said Ruto’s election in 2022, despite Kenyatta’s opposition to his candidature, should not be interpreted as evidence that the former president failed to defeat him.
“You were not elected as President because President Uhuru Kenyatta failed to defeat you. No!” Gachagua said.
He argued that Kenyatta had failed to convince him and a majority of Kenyans at the time that Ruto was incapable of leading the country.
Gachagua claimed that Ruto’s record in office had since validated Kenyatta’s position, saying the former president therefore had no further role in persuading Kenyans to vote against Ruto.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta is not your opponent in this election. You are just trying a bad deflection,” he said.
Gachagua instead described Ruto’s opponents as ordinary Kenyans, including workers, young people, business owners, patients, parents and students whom he accused the administration of burdening through its policies and actions.
“55 million Kenyans are your opponents,” Gachagua said, while also accusing the government of worsening the cost of living and failing various groups.
He further referenced the recent Ol Kalou by-election, where his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Ngotho defeated Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah, presenting the result as a warning ahead of the 2027 election.
“Ol Kalou was just a dress rehearsal for the forthcoming General Election,” Gachagua said.
He also claimed that Kenyans would accept campaign money but still vote against Ruto, while alleging that the President was spending money to mobilise crowds for his meetings.
Gachagua said the opposition was working to identify a single presidential candidate who would face Ruto in 2027.
“The decision to vote you out is settled, and only one matter is outstanding to complete the picture: the identification of a single presidential candidate to take you home,” he said.
He said the process of identifying the candidate was ongoing and that Kenyans would eventually be informed of who would face Ruto.
“As you spend money in Nyanza to bribe people to attend your meetings, please appoint a team to start preparing your handover notes,” Gachagua said.
