Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has issued a fresh apology to voters in Mount Kenya, admitting mistakes he says he made during the 2022 general election campaigns and vowing to actively work toward correcting them in the next polls.
In a sharply worded statement shared on social media, Gachagua said he had campaigned “vigorously” for President William Ruto but now believes that decision was wrong, accusing the Head of State of policies that undermine young people’s future. He took particular aim at a programme linked to overseas labour opportunities, claiming it risks turning Kenyan youth into “modern-day slaves” through what he described as deliberate under-skilling.
“During the 2022 campaigns, I made many mistakes which I must correct and I will stop at nothing,” Gachagua said. “I campaigned vigorously for this mzee who now wants our young people in Kieni Constituency to be empowered to be computer illiterate before they proceed to Singapore; modern day slavery and backward brain-drain.”
Gachagua apologised directly to Kieni residents, asking for forgiveness and pledging to stand with them and other constituencies in what he framed as a broader political correction. He suggested the 2027 General Election, scheduled for August 10 next year, would be the moment to right what he termed a national mistake.
“I once again apologize to the people of Kieni and seek their forgiveness. I will do whatever it takes to join the people of Kieni and many other constituencies and above all, Kenya’s Presidency in correcting this mistake on 10th August next year,” he said.
The former deputy president, who has increasingly positioned himself as a critic of the Ruto administration, framed his remarks as part of a wider reckoning within government and political leadership. He argued that the President was not an isolated case, but rather a reflection of a broader political class that has failed young Kenyans.
“In any case, this mzee is just a motif of the majority of whom we have,” Gachagua added, in a statement likely to deepen divisions within the ruling coalition.
Gachagua’s comments come amid growing debate over labour export programmes and education pathways for Kenyan youth, with critics warning that poorly regulated schemes risk exploitation abroad and deprive the country of skilled labour. The government has defended such initiatives as necessary to tackle unemployment and generate foreign exchange through remittances.
Analysts believe that the remarks underscore Gachagua’s continued efforts to rally support in the Mount Kenya region, where dissatisfaction with the Kenya Kwanza administration has been simmering over the cost of living, taxes and unmet economic promises. By revisiting his role in the 2022 campaign, Gachagua appears to be seeking to recast himself as a repentant insider turned reformist, ahead of an increasingly heated road to 2027.
