The political rift between President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua continues to widen. The two leaders, who were elected on a joint ticket during the 2022 General Election, have continued to express their differences in the public domain. They have also been amassing influence in their respective political camps, solidifying allies and preparing for an eventual political showdown should the need arise.
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Thou shall not ‘touch the mountain’
The cracks in the Ruto-Gachagua relationship began to emerge earlier this year when Gachagua accused Ruto of ostracizing him and the Mount Kenya region which he hails from. Gachagua, a self-appointed kingpin of the GEMA (Gikuyu-Embu-Meru) community, has continually stated his vested interest in defending and advocating for the wellbeing of ‘his people’.
Gachagua’s antics should come as no surprise as Kenya is still vastly divided, with political allegiances built along tribal and ethnic lines. Securing the support of tribal ‘kingpins’ is a key factor in deciding the nature of the national political landscape.
Gachagua has consistently called for President Ruto to respect the loyalty of the Mount Kenya people, who he says played a big role in electing him to the Presidency in 2022.
He has therefore warned Ruto’s allies from indulging in the affairs of the Mount Kenya people, through his now infamous statement telling them to ‘keep off the mountain’ (‘wasiguze murima’).
Gachagua claims no wrongdoing, stating that his only fault is the undying love that he has for his people and his commitment to standing up for them. He has also stated that his stance is not against President Ruto but against the close-knit circle of politicians that have surrounded him and are distracting him from truly addressing the needs of the Kenyan people.
He has accused Ruto’s closest political allies of persecuting him and undermining his role as Deputy President, all while badmouthing him in the presence of the President.
Karma is a b*tch
Ruto’s presidential campaign in the lead-up to 2022 tapped into the political sweepstakes of tribal politics. Ruto utilized his close relationship with Gachagua to disrupt the political backyard of his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, who was in support of Raila Odinga’s presidential bid.
Gachagua had long been viewed as a strongman in Central Kenya, but at the time, many were still unconvinced by his ability to become a true tribal and regional kingpin.
Many anticipated President Ruto to appoint the then Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki as his running mate in the Presidential Election. However, Gachagua delivered on his promise to deliver the voter bloc of Central Kenya to Ruto, and for the first year in office, he vehemently supported, stood up for and defended President Ruto’s regime.
He became infamous for warning the opposition faction in government, led by Raila Odinga against any attempts at forming alliances with the ruling regime. He made Raila his sworn enemy, attacking him at every public gathering and political address.
Nonetheless, despite his best efforts, his biggest fear came to life.
Ruto’s regime has been growing unpopular with the masses, facing increased measures of taxation and economic overregulation. Consequently, this led to widespread anti-government protests across much of the country from June 2024.
Raila’s political party took advantage of the country’s political distress and political uncertainty to enter into a deal with the government. This culminated in President Ruto appointing some of the influential party members to key cabinet positions and officially supporting Raila’s bid for the Chairmanship of the African Union (AU).
Despite being Kenya’s longest-standing opposition leader, Raila has always found a way to leverage his position as a way to guarantee his entrance and access to power, entering into alliances with each of the past three presidents not including Ruto.
So Gachagua’s anti-Raila sentiments were perhaps justified.
A revolting Deputy President is nothing new. In fact, this can all be traced back to Ruto’s stint as Deputy President during Uhuru’s tenure in 2017-2022. Ruto embarked on a widespread political campaign early on in the political term, whipping up support against Uhuru’s newfound allegiance with Raila Odinga.
Ruto arguably seemed to abandon his responsibilities as Deputy President, instead embarking on a years-long campaign trail seeking support for his Presidential bid in 2022.
Years later, his own Deputy is also training his guns against him. What goes around really does come back around.
Nonetheless, a constant remains in both scenarios. A ‘friendship of sorts’ between Raila Odinga and whoever the President is.
Gachagua’s headache
A censure motion has already been filed in the Kenyan senate, aimed at scrutinizing Gachagua’s conduct as deputy president.
The motion filed by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana is the latest in the impeachment bandwagon that is being pushed by political leaders allied to President Ruto.
According to Mungatana, Gachagua’s tribal and ethnically fueled sentiments contradict national values and governance principles enshrined in the constitution.
Many of Ruto’s closest allies in the Mount Kenya region, led by the Majority Leader of Parliament Kimani Ichungwah have also distanced themselves from Gachagua, and have called him out for undermining the regime. Recently, a crop of Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) from the region came together to admonish Gachagua and to throw their weight behind Kithure Kindiki as the region’s kingpin.
However, Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has warned that any impeachment motion against the deputy president would also result in similar calls for impeachment against the president. He has argued that the two are inextricable since they were elected on a joint ticket and they hence bear a collective responsibility to the people of Kenya.
As for the people of Kenya, no one really cares too much about what they have to say about the matter. But I am sure that they are looking forward to the day when this political back and forth will come to an end.
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