Gachagua: Rift Valley Kikuyus Never Backed Ruto – ‘They Knew Him Too Well’
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has made startling revelations about the 2022 General Election, claiming that a large section of the Kikuyu community residing in the Rift Valley region did not vote for President William Ruto.
Speaking during a public forum while on a visit to the United States, Gachagua recalled the eerie silence and lack of enthusiasm he encountered while campaigning for Ruto in key Rift Valley towns such as Njoro, Molo, Burnt Forest, and Kitale.
“When I went to campaign for Ruto in Njoro, people just looked at me. I spoke—they didn’t clap, they didn’t boo, they didn’t say a word,” he said. “I went to Njoro nine times. What they knew then is what I know now.”
According to Gachagua, some residents quietly questioned his understanding of Ruto, with one allegedly asking, “Do you really know this man? Have you ever lived with him?”
The sentiments come as Gachagua increasingly distances himself from Ruto’s administration, frequently criticizing the president’s leadership and aligning with opposition voices calling for reform. He has previously claimed that his presence on the 2022 presidential ticket was crucial in delivering the Mt Kenya vote to Ruto.
In the same breath, Gachagua accused the current administration of betrayal and poor governance, signaling his full breakaway from the regime that propelled him to power before his historic impeachment in October 2024.
Ruto, who clinched victory in 2022 with 7.1 million votes—50.42% of the total cast—secured the presidency after garnering the required threshold in over 39 counties. However, Gachagua now implies that the Rift Valley’s Kikuyu vote was not as firmly behind the president as once believed.
As political realignments gather pace ahead of 2027, Gachagua’s remarks underscore deepening fractures within the ruling coalition and signal potential shifts in Mt Kenya’s political loyalties.
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Gachagua: Rift Valley Kikuyus Never Backed Ruto – ‘They Knew Him Too Well’