Gachagua Accuses Ruto of Being ‘Real Commander’ of Sudan’s RSF
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has made explosive claims that President William Ruto is the de facto leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusing him of engaging in illicit gold deals with the paramilitary group’s commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.
In a hard-hitting interview with KTN on Monday night, Gachagua alleged that Ruto has been conducting gold trade with Hemedti, helping him finance the RSF’s ongoing war against Sudan’s national army.
“The real commander of RSF is not Hemedti, it is William Ruto. The money from gold is being cleaned through Kenya to buy firearms,” Gachagua claimed.
Deepening Allegations Against Ruto
The former DP, who has been outspoken against the Kenya Kwanza administration since his ouster in October, claimed that Ruto coerced him in 2023 to facilitate an official visit by Hemedti to Kenya, despite international sanctions against the RSF leader.
“Ruto called me to his office and said, diplomatically, a president can only invite another president for a visit. But he had a vice president he wanted to invite to Kenya, so he wanted me to do it on his behalf,” Gachagua recounted.
“He had a letter, which I signed and after Hemedti came, we discussed Kenya-Sudan relations, then I took him to the President… Later on, I realised they were doing business.”
According to Gachagua, Ruto pressured him to invite Hemedti a second time, but he declined, citing moral and ethical concerns due to Hemedti’s controversial role in Sudan’s war, which has resulted in more than 150,000 deaths and displaced over 11 million people.
“I told him that as a father and a Christian, I cannot be a part of it and cannot invite him,” said Gachagua.
“He told me I must invite him and asked me, ‘Do you know how much I will lose by you not inviting him here?’”
Gachagua further claimed that Ruto’s allies forged his signature to issue another invitation to Hemedti, prompting him to confront the president directly.
“He told me, ‘You will see me!’” Gachagua claimed, accusing Ruto of blackmail.
Call for International Sanctions
Gachagua concluded the interview by appealing to the international community to impose sanctions on President Ruto, saying that doing so would significantly contribute to resolving the Sudanese crisis.
“I am available to give evidence. I ask the international community to sanction William Ruto, and the Sudan crisis will be solved. Sanctioning Hemedti is pointless,” he said.
Tensions with Sudan Escalate
These allegations come in the wake of Kenya’s recent hosting of RSF and allied factions for the signing of a transitional constitution in Nairobi. The move angered the Sudanese government, which responded by suspending all imports from Kenya indefinitely, citing national security concerns—a move Kenya described as a “gross overreaction.”
As the diplomatic standoff escalates, Gachagua’s explosive revelations are likely to intensify scrutiny on President Ruto’s foreign dealings and could further strain Kenya’s international relations amid an already volatile regional climate.
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Gachagua Accuses Ruto of Being ‘Real Commander’ of Sudan’s RSF