Gachagua: I Heavily Funded Ruto’s Campaign, Never Asked for Ksh.10 Billion
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly denied allegations that he demanded Ksh.10 billion from President William Ruto after the 2022 General Election to manage political activities in the Mt. Kenya region. Speaking during a live interview on KTN News, Gachagua dismissed the claims as politically motivated slander aimed at discrediting him in his Central Kenya base.
No Blackmail, No Demands
Gachagua labeled the accusations as false and noted that had they been true, they would have formed part of the official reasoning behind efforts to remove him from office.
“I never blackmailed the President. If that were the case, it would have been the first charge during the efforts to force me out of office,” he said.
He accused President Ruto, the National Intelligence Service, and former Interior CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki of orchestrating the impeachment narrative. Gachagua also criticized the inconsistency in accusations made against him, depending on regional political interests.
“In Western Kenya, he said I was incompetent and tribal. In North Eastern, he claimed I was divisive. In Nyanza, he called me primitive and corrupt. But in Mt. Kenya, he said I asked for Ksh.10 billion,” Gachagua pointed out.
‘I Funded Ruto’s Campaign’
Gachagua maintained that he personally financed Ruto’s presidential campaign without ever requesting reimbursement.
“I was in trouble with the previous administration because I was funding Ruto’s campaign,” he explained. “They froze my accounts, blocked my businesses, and tried to stop me. I invested heavily in his campaign—I’m not the type to go around asking him for money.”
He also accused close Ruto allies—including digital strategist Dennis Itumbi and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah—of circulating conflicting narratives regarding the alleged Ksh.10 billion demand.
Mt. Kenya Tour Sparks Renewed Tensions
The controversy resurfaced during President Ruto’s recent five-day tour of Central Kenya, where he met with various groups and reportedly accused Gachagua of attempting to strong-arm him early in his presidency.
In a roundtable interview with vernacular radio stations, Ruto revealed he had confronted Gachagua over his hostility toward allies such as Itumbi, Ndindi Nyoro, and Ichung’wah.
“I asked him, ‘Why are you fighting with Itumbi, my PA Farouk, and these young leaders? What’s the need for such small battles?’” the President recalled.
Ruto claimed Gachagua threatened political retaliation unless he released Ksh.10 billion for regional political mobilization.
“I was told, ‘I can make you a one-term president unless you give me Ksh.10 billion to organize politics in the region.’ I refused. If my fate is to be a one-term president, so be it,” Ruto said.
Claims of Manipulation and Dishonesty
Gachagua also criticized a recent event where President Ruto allegedly gave Ksh.8,000 each to a group of women dancers from Central Kenya. According to Gachagua, the women were misled into believing the funds had been withheld by him for personal gain.
“That was dishonest and manipulative. They were told to accept the money because I supposedly wanted to ‘eat it alone,’” he said.
With both camps trading accusations, the political rift between the two former allies continues to widen, raising questions about the future dynamics of Mt. Kenya politics ahead of the next general elections.
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Gachagua: I Heavily Funded Ruto’s Campaign, Never Asked for Ksh.10 Billion