NAIROBI, Kenya — In a candid and, frankly, headline-grabbing interview, impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed why he abruptly stopped defending key government projects—despite President William Ruto’s repeated requests.
Spoiler: he says the projects were unpopular, unworkable, and in some cases, downright deceptive.
Speaking to KTN News, the former deputy president admitted he only stood by government initiatives for one year before pulling the plug on his own PR campaign.
“The first year I used to go to the media and meet Kenyans to speak about government projects,” Gachagua said. “Until I realised the affordable housing is a fraud, I stopped defending it.”
And with that, the rift between Ruto and Gachagua—once a seemingly united duo—burst into the open.
Former DP Rigathi Gachagua: It is very sad that I have to spend time responding to these ridiculous accusations by the President. The President went to the mountain for a political tour, not a development tour as you called it — because he didn’t do anything new. If you review
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From the controversial Affordable Housing Program to the new university funding model, he listed government projects he could no longer back in good conscience.
“When I learned the university model was not working and it had become unpopular with students and parents, I refused to go,” he said. “I also refused to defend Adani and SHA.”
While Gachagua didn’t delve into specifics on “Adani and SHA,” the statement was a clear nod to broader frustrations with how the government was rolling out major public policy—without adequate public support or transparency, in his view.
Not one to let the moment pass, President Ruto took his turn in front of the microphones during a media engagement in Nyeri, accusing Gachagua of dereliction of duty.
“When I was deputy president, I went for TV interviews more than President Uhuru Kenyatta,” Ruto said. “It’s your duty to profile government projects. Did you see Rigathi on any TV station talking about government programmes? No.”
Ruto argued that no major project passed through government without involving the deputy president—who chaired development programs. His claim? Gachagua was fully informed, but chose silence.
In October 2024, the Senate sealed Gachagua’s political fate by upholding his impeachment—making him the first deputy president in Kenya’s history to be removed from office.
Senators voted to sustain at least five charges against him, though the details of those charges remain politically charged and contested.
Since then, Gachagua has taken a noticeably defiant tone, and his recent interview is the clearest indication yet of how deep the schism with Ruto really ran.
