National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has intensified his attacks on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, putting his credibility at the centre of a fresh political dispute that has reignited tensions within Kenya’s ruling political class.
Mr Duale, in a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, accused Mr Gachagua of evading public accountability and challenged him to respond to allegations relating to the handling of his late brother’s estate, claims that have not been independently verified.
“The former Deputy President is dodging the real issues. His credibility is under scrutiny,” Mr Duale said. “Let him face Kenyans and answer: Did he, or did he not, tamper with his late brother’s will? Did he disinherit the widows and children? He may try to run, but he cannot hide from the truth.”
The remarks mark a fresh escalation in the political standoff between Mr Duale, a close ally of President William Ruto, and Mr Gachagua, who was impeached as Deputy President in 2024 and has since remained a vocal critic of the government.
Mr Gachagua has not publicly responded to the latest allegations. However, his allies have previously dismissed similar claims as politically driven attacks aimed at undermining his standing in Mount Kenya politics and weakening his influence ahead of the next election cycle.
At the centre of the dispute is a reported succession disagreement within Mr Gachagua’s extended family following the death of his brother. While the details of the estate remain largely private, the matter has increasingly been drawn into public political exchanges, with senior leaders using it to question integrity and credibility.
Legal experts caution that succession disputes are ordinarily handled within family and court processes, and warn that public commentary by political actors risks complicating already sensitive matters.
“Inheritance cases are governed by succession law and are best resolved through evidence presented in court,” said a Nairobi-based advocate. “When such disputes are politicised, it becomes harder for families to reach amicable solutions.”
The latest exchange adds to a growing pattern of confrontations between Mr Duale and Mr Gachagua, whose relationship has deteriorated sharply since the latter’s impeachment from office.
Since leaving office, Mr Gachagua has positioned himself as one of the most prominent critics of the Kenya Kwanza administration, frequently accusing sections of the government of betrayal and exclusion of key political constituencies that supported the 2022 election victory.
Mr Duale, on his part, has remained firmly within the government’s inner circle and has often taken on critics of the administration, framing his interventions as part of a broader push for accountability and political discipline.
The increasingly personal nature of political exchanges has drawn mixed reactions from the public, with some Kenyans questioning the use of family-related allegations in political discourse, while others argue that leaders must be held accountable for both public and private conduct.
