Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua took to the airwaves of Kameme FM this morning, weaving his familiar tapestry of half-truths, tribal grievances, and calculated outrage.
In a performance that has become his hallmark since his impeachment last year, Gachagua accused President William Ruto of incessantly calling him, hinting at a desperate attempt at reconciliation. No evidence was offered—just the usual bluster, designed to keep his name in the headlines and his base riled up. But beneath the bombast lies a deeper, more troubling pattern: a man whose political career thrives on division, hypocrisy, and a shocking disregard for Kenya’s collective good.
Gachagua’s latest salvo is a masterclass in contradiction. He decries empowerment programs led by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as a misuse of funds meant for hospital medicines, painting himself as a defender of public welfare.
Yet, when similar initiatives roll out in Rift Valley, he pivots to tribalism, griping that “Ruto’s people” are lavished with cars, posho mills, and motorcycles while his Mt. Kenya constituents are left with mere “beans.” This is the same man who, during his tenure as deputy president, brazenly urged Ruto to “open the gates of State House” so his people could feast on rice and beef, as if the aspirations of an entire region could be reduced to a plate of food. Such rhetoric isn’t leadership—it’s a cynical appeal to the basest instincts of his audience.
The Kameme FM interview, widely discussed on X today, saw Gachagua double down on his narrative of victimhood. One user, @KegandaSanyaa, noted the “bombshell” claim about Ruto’s alleged calls, but the lack of proof renders it another in a long line of unverified provocations.
Gachagua’s strategy is clear: stoke resentment, amplify regional grievances, and position himself as Mt. Kenya’s sole savior. Yet, as MP Gabriel Kagombe pointed out in March, Gachagua’s claim to speak for the Kikuyu nation is “overrated” and lacks endorsement from the community he purports to lead.
This isn’t new. Gachagua’s political ascent was built on divisive rhetoric. In the 2022 campaign, he railed against Uhuru Kenyatta, his former ally, with inflammatory accusations, including a reference to the unsolved murder of JM Kariuki. Posts on X, like those from @Benson_Mwiti_25 and @AlinurMohamed_, label him a “political Neanderthal” and a “tribalist,” reflecting a growing public fatigue with his divisive playbook.
Gachagua’s hypocrisy is most glaring in his stance on empowerment programs. While he incites his supporters to “eat” government money during official visits, he condemns similar efforts elsewhere as wasteful or biased. This selective outrage betrays a man less interested in governance than in settling scores. His claim that Ruto’s administration sidelines Mt. Kenya—despite his own role in securing 15 Principal Secretary slots for the region—rings hollow. As one X user, @BAudiih, aptly put it, Gachagua’s “mission is clear: to revenge Ruto” at the cost of national unity.
Kenya stands at a crossroads. With economic challenges and public cynicism already high, as noted by the Council on Foreign Relations, the last thing we need is a leader who fans tribal flames for personal gain. Gachagua’s rhetoric doesn’t just undermine Ruto; it erodes the fragile trust that holds our nation together.
His Kameme FM appearance today wasn’t a call to action—it was a call to chaos.
Kenyans must reject this politics of the belly. Gachagua’s vision, if you can call it that, offers no solutions, only scapegoats. Let’s demand leaders who unite, not divide; who build, not burn. The former deputy president may crave the spotlight, but it’s time we turn it off.