NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended the controversial “shareholding” arrangement he negotiated with President William Ruto, saying it was a political agreement aimed at ensuring government promises to the Mount Kenya region were fulfilled.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Tuesday, Gachagua said the deal involved delivering votes in exchange for government positions and development projects, including ministries, roads, and sector reforms.
“We did economic charters with President Ruto for four counties. He came to me because he wanted votes from my region; it was quid pro quo. He said, ‘Rigathi, I want 70 per cent of the mountain votes. Can you deliver that?’ I delivered 87 per cent, and I expected the following,” he said.
Gachagua disclosed that as part of the informal agreement, Mount Kenya was promised eight ministries, including Interior, Finance, Agriculture, Water, Lands, Trade, and the Attorney General’s office. He emphasized, however, that final appointments were at the President’s discretion.
“It was up to him to evaluate, take it or leave it. That is what happens in this country. When Raila Odinga supported Ruto, he also negotiated positions and principal secretary slots. That is how politics works,” Gachagua explained.
Gentleman’s Agreement
The former DP said the arrangement was not written but delivered as a gentleman’s agreement and mutual understanding.
He said tensions arose when Ruto began reallocating some of the ministries, including Finance and Interior, which had been part of the negotiated deal.
“I was under a lot of pressure from the people I negotiated on behalf of. They wanted what we agreed on to be honoured. That is when William turned against me because he didn’t want to honour what we had agreed. And, unluckily for me, I didn’t insist on a written agreement,” Gachagua said.
He added that the agreement was made on behalf of Mount Kenya voters who delivered the promised support, and his insistence on fulfilling it has sometimes been misinterpreted as tribalism.
“Let me tell you, it’s not tribal. Coalitions are formed by regional blocs. William Ruto sought me for Mount Kenya, Kingi for the Coast, Wetang’ula and Musalia for Western. That’s the nature of our politics,” he said.
Gachagua defended the term “shareholding,” explaining it was a tool to manage voter expectations and ensure that promises made during campaigns were honoured.
“In Nandi, people asked, ‘You voted for this government. We have our sons unemployed. We have expectations.’ My work as a leader was to assure them that what we promised would be fulfilled. That is what I meant,” he said.
He also stressed that development should be based on merit, with regional balance, and not solely on political support.
“I was a tough negotiator. People thought I was tribal or too demanding. But I delivered what I promised, and I only wanted what was agreed upon. I did not want to be short-changed,” Gachagua said.
