Gachagua's claims in 2-hour interview spark mixed reactions

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s remarks during an exclusive interview with KTN News on Monday have ignited a storm of reactions across the country. 

While some have applauded his boldness, others have been quick to criticize what they view as a thinly veiled political defense. 

Among the key claims Gachagua made was the alleged involvement of President William Ruto in dealings with warring factions in the East African region, particularly in Sudan. 

The former DP accused Ruto of fueling the ongoing conflict in Sudan through alleged business ties with Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo—alias Hemedti—the leader of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“For the deaths occurring in Sudan, the real commander of RSF is not Hemedti, it’s William Ruto…because for a movement to succeed, it needs money,” Gachagua claimed.

He went further, alleging that Ruto had entered into a gold deal with Hemedti in 2023 and had personally involved him in facilitating diplomatic cover. 

“In 2023, Ruto called me to his office and told me that, diplomatically, a president can only invite another to visit him, and he has a friend who is a vice president, and he cannot invite him. So he wanted me to invite him on his behalf,” Gachagua said.

The former DP also accused Ruto of forcing former Attorney General Justin Muturi to sign an illegal $1 billion deal, claiming the funds were meant to be issued to Kenya under the guise of a tree-planting initiative.

“It was a scheme for money laundering. Since Justin Muturi botched the deal, President William Ruto stopped talking about climate change or planting 15 billion trees,” he asserted.

As his words now reverberate across political circles, social media remains divided on whether his comments reflect genuine leadership or are simply another political maneuver. 

On X, user Samwel Wekesa questioned Gachagua’s timing, suggesting that had the outcome been different, he might have kept the claims to himself.

“Kenyans must be very careful not to be dragged into hating President William Ruto for no reason. Let’s ask ourselves—why didn’t Rigathi Gachagua make all these wild claims while he was still serving as Deputy President? Why now? The truth is, he’s just a bitter man who hasn’t come to terms with being sidelined,” Wekesa wrote. 

Others, like DJ Krowbar, felt that while Gachagua’s claims might be true, they might be driven more by personal interest than by a genuine interest.

“There is just something off with Rigathi Gachagua. He might be telling the truth, but he is out for blood, not for our own good. It’s all about personal interests,” he argued.

But the former DP’s remarks also found support among some, with some users like Kiprono expressing agreement with his sentiment.

“The allegations raised by Gachagua yesterday are enough to impeach Ruto. But our MPs are cowards,” posted Kiprono.

Popular X user Alinur Mohamed agreed, stating: “The allegations by former DP Rigathi Gachagua yesterday are enough grounds for the removal of the President. These are the same charges they levied against him.”

Another user, Nahashon Kimemia, added: “Rigathi Gachagua has many flaws, but telling lies does not seem to be one of them. He seems to be speaking honestly, depicting President Ruto as he truly is behind the scenes.”