Gachagua blames Ruto for economic pain, rallies police to join push for change
By William Muthama, June 6, 2025Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has launched a blistering attack on President William Ruto, accusing him of plunging Kenyan workers into financial turmoil through reckless economic policies.
Gachagua speaking on Friday, June 6, 2025, during a rally in Malii, Makueni County, as part of the opposition’s Ukambani-Coastal tour.
He said that Ruto had tampered with payslips, slashing salaries across the board, and leaving workers in both the public and private sectors struggling to make ends meet.
Payslip dignity lost
“The journey to remove Kasongo has begun because he has destroyed the dignity of our payslips,” Gachagua said.
“Everyone is hurting, from government employees to the private sector. The president cut salaries and exposed people to shame. Even police officers are not spared.”
He criticised the government’s disregard for worker welfare and promised that the opposition would prioritise restoring respect and fairness in salary structures.
Police also suffering
Gachagua rallied police officers to support the push for change, saying they too were victims of Ruto’s failed leadership.
“Our police and their children are suffering. There are no drugs in hospitals. Their wives go untreated. Yet when they protest, they are told to go back and endure,” he said.
Highlighting the irony faced by security forces, Gachagua added: “Sometimes you’re told not to throw tear gas at citizens, but when you remember your mutilated payslip, you throw it in the opposite direction.”
He accused the government of neglecting essential services, saying families were bearing the brunt of inflated prices, pay cuts, and a crumbling public health system.
Tour heads coast
The opposition tour, which began in Ukambani on Friday, is set to proceed to the Coast region on Saturday, June 7, 2025, with scheduled stops in Voi, Taru, Mazeras, Mariakani, and Kisauni. Gachagua was accompanied by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, and other opposition figures.
The leaders aim to mobilise support for what they term a citizens’ revolution to reclaim the country from economic oppression and misrule.
Gachagua’s latest remarks signal a heightened political showdown as the opposition seeks to galvanise public anger into a broader campaign for change ahead of the 2027 general election.