Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed claims that he is secretly working with President William Ruto, stating that their political relationship is “broken beyond repair.”
Speaking during an interview on KTN News on Sunday, October 5, Gachagua said he would never enter into any discussions or negotiations with the President. His remarks came after allegations surfaced suggesting that he was using his new political outfit, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), as a bargaining chip to regain influence in government.
“There have been claims that I am working with William Ruto through backdoor deals. Let me be clear: I have no intention whatsoever to have any discussion, any negotiation with one William Ruto,” Gachagua asserted. “As to who we are going to bargain with, that is for the people of Mt. Kenya to decide but they have told me Ruto is not part of that equation.”
The controversy gained traction after Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni alleged that Gachagua had recently met leaders in Narok County. According to Kioni, the meeting which reportedly included 15 members, among them members of the clergy sought to explain why the DCP had denied Narok Town Ward aspirant Joshua Ole Kaputa a party ticket for an upcoming by-election. Kioni further claimed that there was an understanding between Gachagua and President Ruto to grant Joshua a nomination later.
However, DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala swiftly dismissed the claims, terming them as “state-sponsored propaganda” aimed at destabilizing the United Opposition.
“I have seen people like Kioni embarking on diversionary tactics. These are individuals sent with specific instructions to divide the opposition,” Malala said. “If you are in the opposition and you cannot say a ‘wantam’ slogan, then you are a mole.”
The unfolding tension highlights the widening rift between Gachagua and Ruto, as Mt. Kenya’s political realignment continues to shape the 2027 succession race.
