Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hit back at President William Ruto over his renewed attacks on retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing the Head of State of using his predecessor as a political distraction ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua said Uhuru was not Ruto’s opponent in the next election and dismissed the President’s repeated references to his former boss as an attempt to divert attention from issues facing Kenyans.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta is not your opponent in this election. You are just trying a bad deflection. Poor tactic Mr Ruto, but we know you very well,” Gachagua said.
His statement came a day after Ruto stepped up his criticism of Uhuru during his tour of Nyanza, where he described the retired President as a “rebel leader” and questioned his continued involvement in opposition politics.
“Mimi nashangaa, mtu ambaye amekuwa Rais wa Kenya, unaacha kiti ya Rais, badala ya kwenda kuwa statesman, unaenda kuwa rebel leader, kiongozi wa upinzani. Mpaka saa hii korti inamwambia atoke,” Ruto said in Siaya.
The President was referring to a High Court ruling that barred Uhuru from holding office in a political party, and accused the former President of continuing to sponsor opposition politics.
Ruto also questioned Uhuru’s political influence, asking whether the retired President could defeat him now when he had failed to do so while serving as President.
“Kama Uhuru Kenyatta hakunishinda akiwa Rais ataninishinda saa hii kweli?” Ruto posed.
Ruto’s latest remarks form part of a series of attacks on his predecessor in recent weeks, with the President previously accusing Uhuru of financing or sponsoring opposition politicians ahead of the 2027 election.
Gachagua, however, rejected the argument that Ruto’s 2022 election victory demonstrated that Uhuru had failed politically.
“You were not elected as President because President Uhuru Kenyatta failed to defeat you,” Gachagua said.
He argued that Uhuru had failed to convince him and other Kenyans to reject Ruto in 2022, rather than having been defeated by Ruto as a direct political opponent.
“No! President Uhuru Kenyatta did not sufficiently convince me and a majority of Kenyans that you were incapable of leading the country, that you were viciously corrupt, and that you would completely ruin our country in less than three years,” Gachagua said.
“Today, you have proven to me and the whole country that President Uhuru was right.”
Gachagua then turned his criticism to Ruto’s record in government, saying the President should be concerned about ordinary Kenyans rather than Uhuru.
“Your opponents are the people of Kenya: the payslip holders whose payslips you have raided, the GenZs whom you have abducted and killed, the Christians whose churches you have defiled, the business people whom you have run out of business, patients who have no medicine and lack medical insurance, parents and students with no access to affordable education, and all those choking under the high cost of living,” he said.
“55 million Kenyans are your opponents,” Gachagua added.
The claims of abductions, killings and other wrongdoing were made by Gachagua and were not independently established in his statement.
Gachagua also dismissed suggestions that opposition leaders seeking to challenge Ruto in 2027 needed Uhuru’s sponsorship.
“Be advised that the leaders tasked with the responsibility of removing you from office by Kenyans require no sponsorship. They have clear, and sufficient instructions from the people of Kenya,” he said.
The former Deputy President said opposition leaders were working towards identifying a single presidential candidate to face Ruto in 2027.
“The decision to vote you out is settled, and only one matter is outstanding to complete the picture: the identification of a single presidential candidate to take you home,” Gachagua said.
“I want to assure you that this is a piece of work in progress, and very soon we shall let you know the man or woman to whom you shall hand over.”
Gachagua also invoked recent political events in Ol Kalou, where he claimed Ruto had witnessed public resistance, describing the gathering as “just a dress rehearsal for the forthcoming General Election.”
He accused the President of using money to mobilise crowds during his political activities.
“Kenyans will take your money and vote you out,” Gachagua said.
“As you spend money in Nyanza to bribe people to attend your meetings, please appoint a team to start preparing your handover notes.”
Ruto has been using his Nyanza tour to challenge opposition leaders and defend his administration’s record, while also questioning the continued political involvement of Uhuru.
In Siaya, the President criticised emerging opposition formations and urged residents not to “gamble” with their political future, arguing that the government had a programme for development.
The exchange has now drawn Gachagua directly into the Ruto-Uhuru dispute, with the former Deputy President seeking to shift the focus from the retired President to the record and political future of the current administration.
Gachagua ended his statement with a warning to Ruto to prepare for a change of government.
“Your fate is sealed; Italians would kindly tell you, ‘Il tuo destino è segnato!’”
