Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has forcefully refuted allegations that he solicited Ksh.10 billion from President William Ruto shortly after the 2022 General Election, supposedly to manage political affairs in the Mt. Kenya region.
Speaking during a televised interview on KTN News on Monday, Mr. Gachagua labelled the claims as unfounded and part of a targeted campaign to damage his standing, especially within his Central Kenya political base.
“I never blackmailed the President. If that were the case, it would have been the first charge during the efforts to force me out of office,” Gachagua asserted. He further alleged that the narrative surrounding his potential impeachment was driven by President Ruto, the National Intelligence Service, and Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki.
The former Deputy President criticized what he described as inconsistent justifications for his removal provided by the President and his team. He accused them of tailoring their explanations based on the audience's region.
“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 asked for Ksh.10 billion.”
Gachagua also pointed fingers at individuals within the President's close circle, specifically naming digital strategist Dennis Itumbi and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, suggesting they had previously mentioned different amounts regarding the alleged demand.
Dismissing the accusation entirely, Gachagua emphasized his personal financial commitment to Ruto’s presidential bid.
“I was in trouble with the previous administration because I was funding Ruto’s campaign,” he explained. “They froze my accounts, blocked my businesses, and tried to stop me. I invested heavily in his campaign—I’m not the type to go around asking him for money.”
He also took issue with a recent event where President Ruto met female dancers from Central Kenya, reportedly giving them Ksh.8,000 each. Gachagua claimed the women were told this money was given because the former deputy president had intended to "eat it alone," calling this narrative dishonest.
These specific allegations against Gachagua gained renewed attention last week during President Ruto's five-day visit to Central Kenya. In a roundtable discussion with vernacular radio stations, the President traced the origins of the friction with his then-deputy to shortly after taking office. Ruto cited Gachagua's clashes with key allies like Dennis Itumbi, MPs Ndindi Nyoro, Kimani Ichung’wah, and his own PA, Farouk.
The President then made the claim central to the dispute: that Gachagua had allegedly threatened his presidency contingent on receiving Ksh.10 billion for regional political organization.
“I was told, ‘I can make you a one-term president unless you give me Ksh.10 billion to organize politics in the region.’ I refused. If my fate is to be a one-term president, so be it,” Ruto stated during the interview.
