Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto, predicting that he will not win a second term. Speaking during the launch of the new Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) headquarters, Gachagua declared his commitment to the opposition’s mission to unseat Ruto in the next general election.
“I want to give my commitment that we are part of this team, and we will walk this journey together to liberate this country,” Gachagua said. “We shall make whatever sacrifices necessary to make sure that William Ruto is a one-term President.”
Gachagua accused the President of abandoning his allies and the electorate who supported him into office. According to the former Deputy President, Ruto has burdened Kenyans with oppressive taxes, betraying the promises made during the campaigns.
“President William Ruto has a very short memory,” Gachagua remarked. “This team here sat with him in my house, and we assured him that he would be President, and we would do whatever it takes to make sure he is President. But once he got to State House, he put aside everything we agreed on about how to improve Kenya.”
He criticized the President’s deviation from the bottom-up economic model, which they had promised would uplift ordinary Kenyans. Instead, Gachagua lamented, “The minute he reached State House, he got a small team of economic advisors and came up with a very brutal program of removing whatever little money was in people’s pockets.”
“A One-Man Show”
Reflecting on his time as Deputy President, Gachagua described his tenure as challenging, claiming he was the sole voice of dissent in an administration that lacked accountability.
“When we had the Finance Bill 2024, I was the lone voice in Cabinet telling him to listen to the people of Kenya because they wouldn’t accept the Finance Bill,” Gachagua revealed. “He became intolerant and dictatorial. The government he leads is a one-man show. All those Ministers you see there are flower girls. I was the only one who could stand up and tell him, ‘Hey boss, this can’t work.’ That is why he needed me out.”
He further accused the Cabinet of being a “praise and worship choir” for the President, stating, “I could not fit in that choir.”
Kalonzo Joins the Fray
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka also weighed in, claiming that Kenyans are united against President Ruto’s administration. “You cannot isolate the mountain or any part of the country; it is not possible,” Kalonzo said. “The country is united against one person called William Ruto. Have you asked yourself why you are not seeing opinion polls these days? It’s simple, this administration is enjoying the lowest opinion rating since independence. Hao ndio watashinda kweli?”
Kalonzo further accused the government of delaying the formation of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to avoid political accountability.
“The other reason they are delaying this whole thing about the IEBC is because they know now, under the Constitution, you can recall some of those MPs,” Kalonzo said. “Wanaogopa hiyo kama kitu ingine. They have acted unjustly, supported corruption, and stood for a government that abducts its own citizens.”
Opposition Unity
The remarks by both Gachagua and Kalonzo signal a growing sense of unity among opposition leaders, who appear determined to challenge Ruto’s presidency. The launch of the DAP-K headquarters served as a rallying point for leaders to voice their dissatisfaction with the current administration, promising a strong challenge in the 2027 elections.
As political temperatures continue to rise, all eyes are now on the opposition’s next move, with many wondering whether their collective efforts will be enough to unseat the current regime.
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