Rigathi Gachagua Rubbishes Tribalist Tag, Claims It's Strategy by Ruto: "I'm the Darling of Kenyans"
- Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of weaponising the “tribalist” label to silence dissent and isolate him politically
- In a defiant interview from Kansas, Gachagua claimed Kenyans across ethnic lines are embracing his message, not rejecting it
- He said the tribalist tag only surfaced after Mt Kenya leaders began calling out Ruto’s betrayal of their community’s trust
- Brushing off the smear campaign, Gachagua insisted he remains focused, unbothered, and ready to challenge the status quo head-on
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Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed claims that he is a tribalist, accusing President William Ruto of using the label as a political tool to undermine him.
Source: Facebook
In a fiery interview during his ongoing US tour, Gachagua said the tribalist tag is part of a wider strategy by Ruto to isolate and discredit him for opposing his leadership.
Speaking in Kansas, Gachagua said the narrative was false, malicious, and intended to suppress the truth he represents.
"That is a narrative by William Ruto to try to demonise me before the people of Kenya and to suppress the truth. William Ruto has nothing against me, and the only remaining strategy is to label me a tribalist to try to demean me before the people of Kenya," he said.
Gachagua, now the leader of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), is currently touring the United States to engage the diaspora.
The tour is seen as part of his broader plan to galvanise diaspora support and build international legitimacy ahead of his 2027 stab at the presidency.
He said only Ruto and his allies were pushing the tribalist narrative, while ordinary Kenyans continue to embrace him across the country.
"Fortunately, it is only William Ruto, his sycophants, and bloggers made by the government who call me a tribalist. I am the darling of the Kenyan people," he stated.
Does Gachagua have a national appeal?
To support his claim, Gachagua recounted his recent visits to different parts of Kenya, where he said he received overwhelming support and enthusiasm from residents regardless of ethnic background.
"When I was in Ukambani, everybody, thousands of people from that area, wanted to hear from me. When I arrived in Mombasa, in Kilifi, in Malindi, everybody wanted to listen to me. When I went to Masailand, in Kajiado, in Narok, the Maa people wanted to listen to Riggy G," he said.
He also pointed to his warm reception in Western Kenya as evidence that his appeal transcends tribal identifications.
"When I went to Western Kenya, I was a star guest in Bungoma, in Busia, in Kakamega, in Vihiga. The people of Kenya believe in me and the truth that I speak every day," he added.
When did Ruto's perspective of Gachagua change?
Gachagua said Ruto's narrative, terming him a tribalist, only shifted after Mt Kenya leaders began criticising the president for what they termed betrayal of the region’s trust.
He accused Ruto of hypocrisy, saying the president only began attacking Mt Kenya leaders after they openly withdrew their support and questioned his agenda.
"Nobody believes him because when I campaigned for him, he never called me a tribalist. When the people of Mt Kenya supported him to a man, he never said they are tribal. He has only decided we are tribal because we have rejected his leadership," he claimed.
Source: Facebook
Despite the political attacks, Gachagua said he remains unfazed and focused on his mission to speak for Kenyans and challenge the status quo.
"I am never dissuaded from what I believe in. I never lose focus. I am never distracted. I ignore those things with a contempt that they deserve," he declared.
How Ruto criticised Gachagua
Earlier, the president fired political salvos at his former deputy, intensifying a public rift that has reshaped the country’s politics ahead of the 2027 polls.
During the launch of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Compensation Fund, the head of state tore into the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader.
Ruto accused Gachagua of stoking tribal animosity and promoting a brand of politics that belongs to the past.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
