President William Ruto appears to have met his match in his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, who is increasingly using a playbook eerily similar to Ruto’s own as he seeks to solidify support in vote-rich regions. Just as Ruto started his own campaign for the presidency shortly after the 2018 handshake between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga, Gachagua seems to be laying the groundwork for future political ambitions. However, this bold approach is causing friction within the highest levels of government.
Ruto’s rise to power was marked by his aggressive grassroots campaign strategy and his ability to frame himself as a victim of the establishment. From 2018 to 2022, he distanced himself from President Kenyatta, often openly opposing his policies and criticizing his administration. This tactic allowed Ruto to craft an image of being on the side of the people, which eventually helped him ascend to the presidency despite fierce opposition from his former boss.
Now, President Ruto finds himself in a somewhat similar predicament as his former rival. Gachagua, the man he chose as his deputy, is carving his own path by focusing on securing support from the Mount Kenya region, a critical voter base. Ruto’s concern over this early campaigning is evident. During a church service on September 15, 2024, he openly criticized those engaging in premature political maneuvers, urging them to focus on delivering the promises made to Kenyans instead of looking ahead to the 2027 elections. His message was clear: there is work to be done now, and future ambitions should be set aside.
However, Gachagua’s behavior suggests that he is not ready to fall in line with the president’s wishes. He continues to focus on building his support base in Mount Kenya, reminiscent of how Ruto toured the country to shore up his own numbers while serving as deputy president. This has drawn the ire of several key figures in Ruto’s administration. National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah is among those who have not held back in criticizing the DP, accusing him of playing tribal politics and failing to unite Kenyans. In a recent interview with Spice FM, Ichung’wah openly attacked Gachagua for what he called a “petty and vindictive” leadership style, suggesting that the deputy president’s focus on personal power is undermining national unity.
These tensions have fueled speculation of an impeachment plot against Gachagua, a rumor that gained traction in mid-2024. Gachagua, however, was quick to dismiss these claims, calling them baseless. “I’ve heard people saying that we leave the government, how can we leave our own government? I want to ask leaders not to make statements that confuse Kenyans. That kind of nonsense should be contained in WhatsApp groups,” Gachagua said during a public address in Kirinyaga County in August 2024.
Despite the mounting criticisms and alleged internal efforts to sideline him, Gachagua remains defiant. He continues to criticize Ruto’s stance on certain issues, even as some Mount Kenya MPs have shifted their support to Interior CS Kithure Kindiki. Gachagua appears unbothered by these political shifts, staying focused on his mission to rally the region behind him.
The strained relationship between the president and his deputy mirrors the much-publicized fallout between Ruto and Kenyatta during their second term in office. Back in 2021, Ruto had vowed not to humiliate his own deputy if he ever became president, recalling the constant attacks he faced from President Kenyatta’s inner circle. However, Ruto now seems to be taking a similar approach by using his allies to keep Gachagua in check. Whether this strategy will succeed in curbing the DP’s ambitions remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Gachagua is determined to follow the path Ruto once walked, even if it puts him at odds with his boss.
As the political landscape heats up ahead of the 2027 elections, Gachagua’s bold actions have set the stage for a potential showdown with the president. The similarities between the UhuRuto fallout and the emerging Ruto-Gachagua tension are too striking to ignore, raising questions about whether history will repeat itself in Kenya’s top leadership.
