In his first public statement since being impeached, Kenya’s former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has made serious allegations against President William Ruto. Speaking just hours after being discharged from Karen Hospital in Nairobi, Gachagua claimed that his life has been under threat and accused the president of orchestrating a year of “continual persecution and stress.”
Gachagua revealed that his security detail was withdrawn, leaving him vulnerable while he was fighting for his life in the hospital. He further stated, “If anything happens to me or my family, President Ruto must be held accountable.” According to Gachagua, the withdrawal of his security was done in violation of a court order, leaving him exposed during a critical time.
The High Court had earlier issued a temporary order to halt the replacement of Gachagua as deputy president, following his impeachment vote by the Senate on October 17, 2024. In a detailed account of the alleged assassination attempts, Gachagua claimed that on August 30, undercover agents entered his room in Kisumu and tried to poison his food.
He also reported another attempt on September 3 in Nyeri, where National Intelligence Service operatives allegedly tried to poison food meant for him and the Kikuyu council of elders. Both attempts, Gachagua said, were foiled just in time.
Gachagua, who had been hospitalized due to what was described as a life-threatening condition, dismissed the charges brought against him during the impeachment as “malice and fiction.” He alleged that President Ruto never intended to work with him, but only needed him to win the election due to his influence and support in the Mount Kenya region.
“I don’t think the president had any intention of working with me. He just used me for my mobilization capacity and the faith people from Mount Kenya have in me,” Gachagua remarked. He believes his downfall came from being the only elected official in Ruto’s cabinet who “spoke the truth.”
As of now, President Ruto has yet to respond to these serious allegations.This situation marks an unprecedented chapter in Kenyan politics, where the deputy president’s impeachment has sparked widespread reactions and debate across the country.
