Rigathi Gachagua has embodied the art of duplicity, the former Deputy President whose meteoric rise and dramatic fall have left an indelible mark on the nation’s psyche. Once a self-proclaimed “truthful man,” Gachagua’s tenure was marred by contradictions, vindictive actions, and a troubling disregard for the very people he now claims to champion.
His recent attempts to recast himself as a victim of political persecution and a defender of the downtrodden are not just disingenuous—they are an insult to the intelligence of Kenyans who vividly remember his behavior when he wielded power. This is the story of a man whose actions in office exposed a character unfit for leadership, a man whose hypocrisy now threatens to rewrite history unless Kenyans hold him accountable.
The 2023 Demos: A Morning Ritual of Power and Provocation
In 2023, as Kenya grappled with widespread protests against the high cost of living and controversial government policies, Rigathi Gachagua, then Deputy President, carved out a peculiar routine. Sources close to his office revealed that Gachagua would rise at 5 a.m., not to address the nation’s pressing concerns, but to stage photo opportunities at his desk—carefully curated images of a man “hard at work” while the streets burned with dissent.
These early-morning photo sessions were not about governance; they were about projecting an image of control and authority, a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding outside. Kenyans, struggling under economic hardship, were met not with empathy but with a deputy president more concerned with optics than solutions.
Gachagua’s rhetoric during these protests was even more damning.
As unarmed demonstrators, including young Kenyans demanding accountability, faced brutal police crackdowns that resulted in injuries and deaths, Gachagua’s response was chilling. In a now-infamous outburst, he scoffed at the protesters’ plight, sneering, “If you go to the streets, do you want policemen to kiss you?” This callous remark, dripping with disdain, was not a one-off.
Gachagua went further, publicly praising the police for “doing their work well,” even as reports emerged of excessive force and the deaths of harmless demonstrators. His assurances to the police that they would be “protected” raised eyebrows—what protection was he promising? Was it immunity from accountability for human rights violations? Or a guarantee that the state would shield officers from scrutiny, no matter the cost to innocent lives?
Kenyans watched in disbelief as Gachagua, a man entrusted with high office, dismissed the cries of the oppressed and aligned himself with the machinery of repression. His words were not just tone-deaf; they were a betrayal of the democratic ideals he swore to uphold. Yet, this was only the beginning of a pattern of behavior that revealed a man intoxicated by power and willing to wield it against even the most vulnerable.
The Assault on the Kenyatta Legacy: A Personal Vendetta
Gachagua’s tenure was marked by a personal vendetta against former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his family, a campaign that reached shocking lows. In July 2023, the government, under Gachagua’s influence, withdrew security from Mama Ngina Kenyatta, the former First Lady and widow of Kenya’s founding father, Jomo Kenyatta. This unprecedented move stripped a woman who had been protected by the state for decades of her security detail without notice or explanation.
The decision was widely condemned as a petty act of political vengeance, targeting a figure who symbolizes Kenya’s historical legacy. For Gachagua, it was a chance to flex his muscle and settle scores with Uhuru, his former boss, whom he accused of meddling in the Kenya Kwanza administration’s affairs.
But Gachagua’s vindictiveness didn’t stop there. In March 2023, goons allegedly acting on his orders raided Uhuru Kenyatta’s private farm in Karen, stealing goats and wreaking havoc. The attack, widely seen as a direct assault on the Kenyatta family, was a shameful display of thuggery orchestrated under the guise of political rivalry. Gachagua’s role in this incident, though denied at the time, has since been tied to his broader strategy of undermining Uhuru’s influence in the Mount Kenya region, a vote-rich area critical to his and President William Ruto’s 2022 electoral success.
These actions were not the work of a principled leader but of a man driven by personal grudges and a hunger for power. Gachagua’s willingness to target a revered family, including an elderly matriarch, exposed a character devoid of respect for Kenya’s history and its people.
The Impeachment and the Crocodile Tears
Fast forward to October 2024, when Gachagua’s world came crashing down. Impeached by the National Assembly and Senate on charges ranging from inciting ethnic divisions to violating his oath of office, Gachagua was unceremoniously removed from his position as Deputy President. The Senate’s verdict, delivered on October 17, 2024, upheld five of the 11 charges against him, including allegations of inflaming ethnic tensions and attacking the National Intelligence Service in public. His hospitalization for chest pains during the trial, which some viewed as a convenient ploy to delay proceedings, did little to garner sympathy from a public that had grown weary of his antics.
Post-impeachment, Gachagua has attempted a remarkable reinvention. Once the firebrand who dismissed protesters and orchestrated attacks on political rivals, he now casts himself as a martyr, a man punished for “standing up for the truth” against President Ruto. In a stunning about-face, he has apologized to Uhuru Kenyatta, calling his previous attacks “foolish” and begging for forgiveness from Mama Ngina. He claims his actions—from the farm raid to the security withdrawal—were carried out under Ruto’s orders, painting himself as a reluctant pawn in a larger political game.
Yet, in the same breath, he contradicts himself, asserting that his impeachment was a result of his disobedience to Ruto and his commitment to truth. Which is it, Mr. Gachagua? Was he a loyal servant blindly following orders, or a defiant truth-teller punished for his principles? The inconsistency lays bare his opportunism.
Kenyans are not children to be swayed by such flip-flopping. Gachagua’s sudden remorse reeks of desperation, a calculated attempt to curry favor with a public he once dismissed and a political class he alienated. His apologies are not born of genuine contrition but of political survival, a bid to salvage his relevance after being cast out of the corridors of power.
Why Gachagua Must Never Return to Power
Rigathi Gachagua’s attempt to rewrite his legacy as a champion of the people is an affront to Kenyans who remember his true colors. This is a man who mocked grieving families, praised police brutality, and orchestrated attacks on a former president’s family. His sudden pivot to humility and remorse is not a sign of growth but a cynical ploy to exploit public discontent with the current administration. Kenyans, particularly the youth who took to the streets in 2023, are not the gullible audience Gachagua hopes for. They remember his disdain, his arrogance, and his complicity in their suffering.
To allow Gachagua anywhere near power again would be to reward hypocrisy of the highest order. His record—marked by corruption, vindictiveness, and a blatant disregard for democratic principles—disqualifies him from leadership. His impeachment was not a tragedy; it was a necessary reckoning for a man who abused the trust placed in him. As Kenyans look to the future, they must reject leaders like Gachagua, whose only loyalty is to power and self-preservation.
The nation deserves better—leaders who unite rather than divide, who serve rather than oppress, and who speak truth not out of convenience but out of conviction.
In the words of a popular X post, “Gachagua sometimes don’t think Kenyans are fools.” But Kenyans are wide awake, their memories sharp and their resolve unbroken. Rigathi Gachagua’s fall from grace is a cautionary tale, a reminder that power without principle is a house built on sand. And as the winds of accountability blow, that house has rightfully crumbled
