'You cannot shut me up', Gachagua fires back at critics
National
By
Irene Githinji
| Aug 04, 2025
Former Deputy President and DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua during the Ngemi Cia Ruraya festival in Seattle, Washington. [Courtesy]
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared that he will not be intimidated into silence, insisting that his political mission is driven by truth and accountability.
Speaking in Richardson, Texas, during his US tour, Gachagua criticised President William Ruto, accusing him of suppressing dissent and capturing democratic institutions.
“I cannot be bullied into silence. Those who fear the truth often resort to intimidation. But I will remain focused on fixing the mess we helped create,” he said.
READ MORE
Homa Bay traders make a kill as curtains fall on Devolution Conference
EAC states urged to boost intra-regional trade amid barriers
Marketing tech company banks on new platform to link brands with culture and creativity
Eight Kuscco staff on police radar over leaked documents
How shrinking wallets are pushing Kenyans to brand switching
Airtel, Vodacom ink network infrastructure sharing pact
Co-op Bank posts Sh14.1b profit amid branch, digital expansion
Fuel prices drop marginally in latest Epra review
Lessons Kenya can take from Azerbaijan
Lenders given 6-months to roll out risk-based loan pricing model
He defended his tour, stating that his engagements are serious and consultative, not mere “praise and worship” gatherings.
The former DP dismissed claims of tribal bias, stating he had met Kenyans from various communities across several states.
“My engagements in th the US are serious and consultative, I did not come to the States to have a praise and worship choir, because if I did want praise and worship, I have it in my church back home. We came here to engage meaningfully and the other day, I was in Baltimore there was a young girl who raised issues and I could see our critics back home were happy because they are not used to it, they have praise and worship, everybody speaks the same language,” Gachagua said in a community engagement at Richardson, Texas.
The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader insisted that the diaspora team is a critical part of Kenyans who have constantly been ignored despite their significant contribution in foreign exchange.
“Even if you call me names, I will stay focused. I must have my eyes on the ball. and why I’m I so active with this struggle to liberate Kenya? People say that sometimes, Riggy G is overzealous, too passionate in fixing Kenya it is because we must not continue saying we were deceived and it is true, we have said enough,” he said.
Gachagua regretted that he played a big role in creating the mess which Kenya is in because he persuaded many people, over 4 million people, to vote for Ruto.
“I take the blame and many times I have apologized to Kenyans but in my community they say ‘making a mistake is not bad, what is very bad is repeating it’. the way I bear the greatest responsibility of creating the mess that Kenya is in, I bear the greatest responsibility to fix the mess,” Gachagua said.
He acknowledged that it is only fair to Kenyans that the people who created the mess in the country should bear the greatest role to clean it up and is now ‘a man on a mission’.
Gachagua accused his critics of hiding behind the face of tribalism to not only run away from the issues of the day but also avoid responding to the questions Kenyans are raising.
He said he travelled abroad because Kenyans who live there must be listened to, noting the Texas event was his fourth town hall meeting in addition to about 25 other smaller meetings with different audiences.
From those meeting meetings, Gachagua said Kenyans in the US are restless and concerned about what is happening in the country, including the status of the economy, education, healthcare and other critical sectors.
According to Gachagua, his side of political divide is different because it is made of democrats, who believe everybody’s opinion matters because everyone cannot see things the same way.
‘…and that is what we are fighting back at home, one-man rule, where somebody decides that he knows everything. This is a meeting for all communities. Our detractors back home are unhappy because I am a truthful person, they are never able to deal with my truths because I only speak facts so all the time they try to pin me down by saying I’m tribal and I talk to my people alone,” Gachagua stated.
The former DP claimed that as soon as they took over power, Ruto embarked on a scheme to capture the opposition, he looked for former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, capture Parliament and all institutions that oversight, and impunity began in earnest.