Gachagua Drops Bombshell: I Refused to Help Ruto Launder Gold for Sudan Warlord
In a stunning revelation that could rattle the political establishment, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of trying to use him in an international gold laundering scheme involving a Sudanese warlord.
During a tell-all interview on KTN, Gachagua claimed he was asked by President Ruto in 2023 to extend an official invitation to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo—better known as Hemedti—despite global sanctions against him.
An Unusual State House Request
According to Gachagua, Ruto summoned him to State House with what he described as a highly irregular diplomatic request. “Under protocol, a president can only invite a fellow head of state. Since Hemedti was vice president, Ruto asked me to do it,” Gachagua said.
He went on to sign the letter, and Hemedti visited Kenya under the pretense of strengthening bilateral ties. “We met and discussed Kenya-Sudan relations, but that was not the real reason for his visit,” he stated.
The Gold Laundering Plot
Gachagua alleges that Hemedti was using Kenya as a conduit for laundering gold smuggled from war-torn areas of Sudan, which was then sold in the Middle East to fund arms purchases. “The gold was fueling war, mass killings, and the displacement of civilians,” he said.
Once it became clear to him that Hemedti was under international sanctions for crimes against humanity, Gachagua said he confronted Ruto and refused to facilitate further contact. “I told the President, ‘This man is a butcher of women and children. I’m a father, a Christian—I cannot be part of this.’”
Forgery and Fallout
Shockingly, Gachagua claims that despite his opposition, his signature was forged to send a second invitation to Hemedti. “I told the President if this man lands here again with my forged signature, I will publicly disown him.” The visit, he said, was ultimately canceled.
US Sanctions Confirm Allegations
On January 7, 2025, the United States imposed direct sanctions on Hemedti for genocide in Darfur. According to the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Hemedti’s RSF has killed tens of thousands, displaced over 12 million people, and fueled starvation across Sudan.
The US also sanctioned seven companies and one individual linked to the RSF, including Capital Tap Holding in the UAE, which allegedly supplied both money and weapons to the militia.
A Political Earthquake
Gachagua’s bombshell adds new weight to his ongoing feud with Ruto and could mark a turning point in Kenyan politics. As he positions himself as the face of Mt. Kenya’s opposition, his claims connect domestic political power struggles to international war crimes.
In other news:Church Clash: Gachagua Accuses President Ruto of Orchestrating Attack
Gachagua Drops Bombshell: I Refused to Help Ruto Launder Gold for Sudan Warlord