By Zuleikha Salim
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed allegations that he blackmailed President William Ruto, during his time in office.
The former second in command clarified that his actions were aimed at advocating for fair representation of the Mt. Kenya region in the Kenya Kwanza administration, which strongly supported Ruto’s successful 2022 presidential bid.
“I did not blackmail the President, if I had, it would amount to an impeachable offence in the Senate,” Gachagua stated, adding that his impeachment motion in 2024 was crafted by President Ruto, and drafted by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and then Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS), Prof. Kithure Kindiki.
During a TV interview on Monday evening, Gachagua dismissed the allegations as baseless, calling them a deliberate attempt to damage his reputation especially in his Central Kenya stronghold.
His response came days after President William Ruto informed the country that Gachagua had to be impeached, after he threatened to make him a one term President, if he (Ruto) does not give him Sh10 billion.
While hitting back, Gachagua questioned the changing narratives surrounding his removal from office, accusing the President and his allies of offering different explanations depending on the audience and region they were addressing.
“In Western Kenya, he said I was incompetent and tribal. In North Eastern, he claimed I was divisive. In Nyanza, he called me primitive and corrupt,” Gachagua stated.
“But when he came to Mt. Kenya, none of that was mentioned. Instead, he claimed I had demanded Sh10 billion.”
He also criticized a recent event in which President Ruto reportedly met with a group of female dancers from Central Kenya, and presented them with Sh8,000 each.
According to Gachagua, the women were allegedly told to accept the money because the former deputy president had wanted to ‘eat it alone,’ a narrative he described as dishonest and manipulative.
“President William Ruto is good at driving narratives to suit what he wants and can easily tarnish and damage someone’s reputation.”