It started with pledges by the top two UDA leaders to avoid the kind of broken bond between the President and his deputy during Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term as the starry-eyed Kenya Kwanza Alliance swept into power in 2022 with their declared quest to change Kenya’s course apace.
It was an unlikely political bromance brewed in the symbolic yellow wheelbarrow and sealed in front of Hustlers. Two years later, the relationship between President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has deteriorated so disastrously that an impeachment motion to push out the second in command is now being considered in Parliament.
We track the public statements which — like WhatsApp chats — have characterised key moments in the blissful political marriage that has gradually turned sour.
On choice of running mate:
Rigathi Gachagua May 24, 2022: It’s a personal decision (who a presidential candidate picks as running mate) by the presidential aspirant. He (WilliamRuto) sought a well-known and compatible person, one who shares his ideals and a leader with proven value for friendship.
William Ruto June 12, 2022: Rigathi Gachagua is somebody I have known for long, he is a very passionate leader, and he is a people’s person. He speaks about the things that I speak about. He is concerned about things that are dear to ordinary Kenyans. The nexus between me and Rigathi Gachagua is the people. He believes in bottom-up the way I do and that is why I chose Rigathi Gachagua to work with me. He is an accomplished civil servant, politician, self-made person, and what I like about him more is his passion for people issues.
On humiliation of the deputy president:
William Ruto, June 12, 2022: I want to tell you that I will not allow my running mate or my deputy president to be humiliated by junior staff. In fact, I have said it as much and I have said I have committed myself in writing that there are responsibilities my deputy will carry. Even when we had a vice president, the vice president always chaired cabinet committees, always did certain things and I want to promise you that my deputy president will be a very busy person.
If my deputy president goes rogue, there is the law. If he, for example, abuses his office, there is the law. The law will take its course. If he does things that are unconstitutional, there is a way a deputy president is dealt with by the law. But I want to promise you that I will do everything possible to make sure, the deputy president’s office, which is a constitutional office, is a functional office that serves the people of Kenya.
Rigathi Gachagua July 19, 2022: At no time will William Ruto ever punish me or mistreat me because he has no reason to. I’ll support him to be president and he will reciprocate that support. Between me and him, we are in agreement that we have no time to quarrel or disagree.
Rigathi Gachagua September 20, 2024: President William Ruto made a commitment to the people of Kenya that if he is elected president, it will never happen that his deputy would be disrespected. Today, the deputy president is abused by people hanging on his car and the president is quiet. Cabinet ministers have been abusing the deputy president, the president is quiet. There is one promise he gave to the people of Kenya that requires no finance, it requires nothing.
It requires him to be a gentleman and keep that promise. That under his presidency, his deputy will not be abused, disrespected, intimated, persecuted or harassed. I think the President owes it to the people of Kenya to honour that promise. He also gave it to me and my wife and children when he asked me to be his deputy. He gave us a firm commitment as a family that that would never happen. I want to ask him to keep the promise.
On being the ‘truthful man’
Rigathi Gachagua September 19, 2022: I have reached where I am as a deputy president because I am a truthful man. I speak the truth irrespective of the occasion.
William Ruto August 5, 2023: You know I have an assistant in serving Kenyans, what is his name? Riggy G (Gachagua’s nickname), the one who tells the truth; the truthful man.
On ‘shareholding’ and Kenya being like a company
Rigathi Gachagua February 2023: This government is a company. There are those who have many shares and those with little shares and others with no shares. Those who invested in the William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua Company must now reap. Is there a problem if I say that those who invested must reap first? Let them reap then those who did not invest will get the remainder.
Rigathi Gachagua October 8, 2023: I am unapologetic to demand and to insist that those who believed in William Ruto and supported him have every right to benefit immensely from his government. I have no apology at all and if that can bring a problem, so be it. For now, there are certain positions that will only be for those who believed in William Ruto, those who agreed with his plans of transforming the country and those who voted for him and showed him love.
William Ruto October 6, 2023: It is primitive and backwards for anyone to imagine that any region of Kenya cannot get development on account of how they voted. That is not right, that is not correct and I want to assure the people of Kenya that we are going to move together as one nation.
On whether some leaders were undermining Deputy President
William Ruto January 23, 2024: Myself and Gachagua have a plan and we understand that we need to continue mentoring the young leaders. But they should slow down and not be overambitious, they should not push us to the edge lest they mess up plans. I want to ask the younger leaders not to be in a hurry; to relax. I and Riggy G are different, not like the others who diminish political stars.
Rigathi Gachagua March 25, 2024: The problem we have is a few leaders from this region (Rift Valley) who have close proximity to the President who are trying to plan the politics of Mt Kenya or us. The few people here are full of themselves, with pride and arrogance and they think they can plan us in our region. Do not try and plan our politics. Plan your own here, and your leadership and when William Ruto retires after 10 years, you can then unleash your plan.
William Ruto March 17, 2024: Our disputes as leaders ended during the election period when voters made their choice. We should now focus on development. No one should act like they are more popular than others while demanding they should be clapped for while others are heckled. That is foolishness.
On whether MPs should focus on their constituencies
Rigathi Gachagua May 25, 2024: I urge the MPs to stay in their constituencies and serve their people. The habit of political tourism must stop. This is what is giving us trouble.
William Ruto June 2, 2024: I am happy that many MPs are here. Moving across the country will enable them to know the other mandate of legislation which is oversight.
On working with the opposition and Raila Odinga
William Ruto September 5, 2022: We will have an opposition in Kenya. We will not have a handshake like we had before that creates a mongrel of a government where no one knows where the line is. I believe in the rule of law. I do not believe in Handshake stories. I believe in an accountable government held to account by a responsible opposition.
Rigathi Gachagua October 30, 2022: Yesterday I saw that man (Raila Odinga) saying he will not be coerced or intimidated to join our government. Listen Raila Odinga, we have no business with you in our government. We are not looking for you and we have no time. Stop saying that people can force you to come to this government. Forget about being forced or coerced, we are not interested. Let him stay away and focus on oversight of our government.
William Ruto April 4, 2023: I want to tell you, there will be no handshake. But there will be an engagement in parliament on the issues that have been raised by the opposition. The history we have of handshake is where there was a fusion of government and the opposition and the results were very disastrous for Kenya. There wasn't any accountability, the whole system went rogue. The handshake that brings the opposition and government into some conundrum, a mongrel and an outfit that is undemocratic, unconstitutional and illegal.
Rigathi Gachagua September 2023: I have put traps in State House and I have people in every corner who can call me and alert me (If Raila tries to enter State House). If they see him, (Raila Odinga) they will call me.
William Ruto February 27, 2024: There is space for all of us in Kenya. You do not win by making others lose. We want a win-win outcome for all of us. We all want to be winners because those in opposition mean well for Kenyans. Those in government must mean well for Kenya. There are no citizens who are in the opposition or Kenyans who are on the other side. All Kenyans are on the same side.
William Ruto July 11, 2024: I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary urgent and irreversible implementation of the programme that we have to deal with the burden of debt.
William Ruto July 19, 2024: While the events of the past month have caused tremendous anxiety, concern and uncertainty, the crisis has presented us with a great opportunity to craft a broad-based and inclusive citizen coalition for national transformation and progress, made up of Kenyans from all walks of life.
Rigathi Gachagua September 7, 2024: I am inside the government, which we fought hard to get. There is no space for me to move even an inch. We welcome those who the president has brought in for us to work together as one country. Those who have come in cannot displace the ones who were there and even if there was an attempt (to displace) — and there isn’t — it cannot work
Rigathi Gachagua September 30, 2024: I had accompanied President William Ruto to the airport and he did not disclose to me that he was going to meet Raila Odinga. When I saw a photo of them talking at (Uganda President Yoweri) Museveni’s place, I went to State House to remove all the traps I had set there.
William Ruto January 23, 2024: It will be an insult to Kenyans that instead of delivering our promises on job creation, food production and access to healthcare we are politicking
William Ruto September 15, 2024: Let us reduce the talk on 2027 politics. In 2027, God and Kenyans will decide. We have three years before the election and we will not spend that time planning on how to win in 2027. How is some elected and immediately start planning on how they will win instead of focusing on working for Kenyans?
Rigathi Gachagua September 20, 2024: We are now back to talking about 2027. Some people have started talking about 2032. People are looking for running mates. I mean it's very unfair to the people of Kenya. It is extremely insensitive. I would rather, if it is possible, our boss President William Ruto to call his house to order because if he called his house to order, very decisively, people can go back to work. I have asked him to put his house in order. I assume he will put his house in order because what is happening is not sustainable. It is not right.
On use of the criminal justice system for political reasons
William Ruto December 2021: There will be no time that the criminal justice system will be used to manipulate the politics of our nation. Those who want to compete with us, they should do so on ideas, on a plan, and not use the criminal justice system to threaten our supporters or those who want to work with the hustler nation. I want to commit to Kenyans that under our administration, the criminal justice system will be used to fight corruption and crime; and not to fight our political competitors and critics.
William Ruto December 2022: Our administration will not use the criminal justice system to intimidate or blackmail or threaten leaders.
Rigathi Gachagua December 2022: In our administration, we have no intention—ever—to weaponise the criminal justice system to settle politics. Politics we shall manage ourselves. We want the criminal justice system to exercise judicial independence and deliver justice to all in Kenya. Our government will not attempt to use the criminal justice system to deal with its critics or those that have a different opinion from ours. That is the undertaking we want to give.
William Ruto June 30, 2024: It is not fair to use police to harass citizens who have a contrary opinion. I do not believe in settling political scores using the power of the State or the police.
Rigathi Gachagua September 26, 2024: President William Ruto and I, on assuming Office, gave an undertaking to the People of Kenya that never again shall the criminal justice system be called upon to help in the management of politics.
Rigathi Gachagua September 30, 2024: I think some of these people are very desperate to remove me from office. They will be shocked. Let us wait for the impeachment (motion), we were told it would be brought tomorrow (October 1) and we are waiting for it. Our lawyers are ready, let them reveal the grounds then we will look at them and respond. I saw some saying ‘300 MPs have signed now your die is cast, you should just resign’. How can I resign from a job that I did not give myself yet I have done nothing wrong. If there is anybody who thinks he will scare me into resigning, let him forget.
