Rigathi Gachagua Vows to Fire All Ambassadors Appointed by Ruto if He Forms Next Govt
- Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua expressed confidence that the opposition will form the next government
- Gachagua shared with the Kenyans living in the United States the priorities of the incoming government should his team win
- Gachagua, who is on a tour of the US, explained why he would sack all ambassadors appointed by President William Ruto
- Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, political analyst Felix Mwangi said Gachagua is tapping into diaspora, Mt Kenya frustrations to drive populist mobilisation
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Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has pledged to implement far-reaching changes if the opposition forms the next government.
Source: Facebook
Speaking in the United States on Monday, July 21, Gachagua expressed confidence in defeating President William Ruto in the upcoming 2027 General Election.
During a meeting with Kenyans living in Boston, Gachagua vowed to fire all ambassadors appointed by Ruto.
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What will happen if Gachagua wins 2027 poll?
According to Gachagua, the new government will ensure diaspora people are in full control of Kenya's Washington, DC embassy.
He argued that diaspora dwellers are in a good position to understand how Kenya can grow trade ties with the United States of America.
"I want to promise, this Los Angeles consulate, if we form the government, we shall appoint one from the diaspora to take care of your interests. You will fill the Washington DC embassy, because it is you who understands what needs to be done here in the States. You understand the challenges of Kenyans here, you know the business opportunities, and you know how we can grow trade between us and Americans because you have been around for a long time. So you are the best people to advise our government on how we can sell our products here, such as tea and coffee," Gachagua said.
Who is David Kerich?
The former DP took issue with Ruto appointing David Kerich as Kenya's ambassador to the US, arguing that the president overruled his advice.
According to Gachagua, people living in diaspora will be appointed to head foreign missions, arguing that most of them are learned.
"I tried advising William Ruto about the need to about diaspora people about the embassies. He said no, he went and picked someone... and brought him here in Washington. Since he came, he has only met people from his...; he has not bothered to might with other Kenyans. I want to make a promise that our missions abroad you have learned people who can run our embassies," he said.
Source: Twitter
Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, Political analyst and governance expert Felix Mwangi observed that Rigathi Gachagua's remarks signal an emerging trend of populist mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He noted that Gachagua is deliberately appealing to disillusioned diaspora communities and Mt Kenya loyalists by tapping into issues of exclusion, economic frustration, and mistrust in public institutions.
“Strategically positioning himself as the champion of the marginalised, using rhetoric that resonates with communities feeling abandoned by the current regime. When Gachagua talks about scrapping SHA or appointing diaspora ambassadors, he’s not just offering policy alternatives, he’s drawing a contrast between himself and President Ruto’s administration, which he paints as elitist and disconnected from everyday struggles. Such messaging, though controversial, could gain traction, especially if economic hardships persist,” Mwangi told TUKO.co.ke.
What else will Gachagua do if elected president?
The former deputy president is also on record promising to scrap the Social Health Authority (SHA), which he argued has failed to provide healthcare insurance to Kenyans as intended.
The DCP leader said the defunct National Health Insurance (NHF) was better than SHA, hence the need to revert to it.
He alleged the KSh 104 billion used to develop the SHA digital infrastructure was exaggerated to benefit some corrupt individuals in the government.
Gachagua argued the country had the option of upgrading the NHF platform at a cost less than KSh 1 billion, but the proposal was rejected by powerful individuals who were hellbent on looting taxpayers' money.
He particularly accused the president of abetting corruption by endorsing the questionable tendering process and fictitious payments.
Gachagua also promised to review the current university funding model, which he described as discriminatory and ineffective.
He argued that placing students in bands based on their background and the financial status of their parents was unfair, discriminatory and dehumanising. He vowed to scrap the formula if he forms the next government.
Does Mt Kenya drive Kenya's economy?
In other news, the former deputy president stressed the importance of Mt Kenya people in the country's survival.
Speaking in Boston, Gachagua boldly asserted that the enterprises of people from Mt Kenya are what are driving Kenya's economy.
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According to Gachagua, who is never afraid of speaking his mind, the Kenyan economy solely depends on the exclusive intentionality and goodwill of people from Mt Kenya region.
At some point, he asked Kenyans in the diaspora to withhold their remittance as a way of punishing Ruto's administration.
Masolo Mabonga, HOD Current Affairs and Politics, updated this article with details on what else Rigathi Gachagua will do if elected president.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
