The Political Ghosts Of President Vs DP Fallout Resurface Featuring Ruto-Gachagua
In 2017, the seemingly unbreakable political alliance between Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto began a pattern of falling out between Kenya’s head-of-state and their deputies.
Having already served a five-year term together since 2013, their strong partnership began to deteriorate as they started their second term in office.
On August 9, 2018, Ruto openly criticized the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which resulted from a peace agreement in March 2018 between President Kenyatta and long-time opposition leader Raila Odinga.
This initiative emerged from the widely recognized public handshake between Kenyatta and Odinga, now popularly known as “The Handshake.”
The political truce between Kenyatta and Odinga led to an open rift between Ruto and Kenyatta, sparking an internal opposition movement within the government.
Ruto and Kenyatta’s differences became increasingly public during political rallies and official events, intensifying during the contentious 2022 elections.
A new chapter began when Ruto, alongside his relatively unknown running mate Rigathi Gachagua, won the 2022 elections, despite lacking the previous camaraderie Ruto shared with Kenyatta.
Facing criticism for their perceived lack of chemistry, Ruto defended his choice, highlighting Gachagua’s dedication to common citizens and his hard-working nature.
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Gachagua, addressing concerns, emphasized his disciplined background and loyalty, likening his service to his past role as a District Officer, and expressed his commitment to the president.
However, a year and eight months into their term, tensions similar to those between Ruto and Kenyatta began to surface between Ruto and Gachagua.
Speculations of discord intensified recently when Gachagua publicly accused certain individuals of trying to create a rift between him and the President.
In mid-May, rumors of a fallout escalated when Gachagua missed several high-profile events attended by the President, including the farewell of Uganda’s President Museveni.
With President Ruto in Rwanda, it was expected that Gachagua would see off Museveni, but his absence fueled further speculation.
Gachagua also missed a tree-planting event led by Ruto and other officials, further raising eyebrows about his commitment.
During his former teacher’s funeral, Gachagua broke his silence, revealing that he had taken time off for meditation and prayer in the Mt. Kenya forest.
He assured that there were no divisions within the Kenya Kwanza government, echoing a statement made by Ruto during his fallout with Kenyatta.
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Gachagua claimed that rumors were spread by a few rogue leaders aiming to disrupt his efforts to unify the Mt. Kenya region, a sentiment Ruto had expressed in 2018.
Reaffirming his loyalty, Gachagua stated that he and the President work well together and dismissed claims of a rift as misinformation spread by certain leaders.
However, Rift Valley leaders, including Kapsaret MP Oscar Sudi, responded critically to Gachagua’s remarks, advocating for unity and denouncing divisive politics.
Sudi, in a church event, emphasized the importance of collective effort in government and dismissed threats to his political stance.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka warned that prolonged conflict could lead to a permanent fallout, stressing the need for a change in Kenya’s political dynamics.
Onyonka suggested that if the current tensions continue, both Gachagua and Ruto could face political downfall by next year, raising questions about future alliances.
President Ruto has remained silent on the issue, not addressing the ongoing speculation about his relationship with Gachagua.
The Political Ghosts Of President Vs DP Fallout Resurface Featuring Ruto-Gachagua