Gachagua responds to Ruto’s Ksh10B blackmail claim
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hit back at President William Ruto’s claims that he demanded Ksh10 billion to sway votes in the central region, along with the details of their bitter fallout, calling the allegations false and asserting that pathological lying is a serious national threat.
Taking to his official social media accounts shortly after Ruto’s live joint media interview on Monday night, March 31, 2025, Gachagua accused Ruto of spreading misinformation and misleading Kenyans without hesitation or remorse.
Warning that dishonesty in governance is eroding public trust and undermining progress, Gachagua emphasised that such deception in governance weakens public confidence and obstructs national development.
“I am now convinced more than ever before that pathological lying is a mental disorder,” Gachagua said.
“The greatest existential threat to our beloved country is outright lying to the people of Kenya without blinking, and failure by a leader to put his team together to harmonise their lies. I weep for my country, Kenya.”
Ruto on Gachagua’s demand
Speaking during a joint media interview at Sagana State Lodge ahead of his much-anticipated weeklong Mt Kenya tour, the head of state revealed that Gachagua demanded Ksh10 billion to help change the tide in the vote-rich central region.
He went on to say that the former DP even threatened to make him a one-term president if he failed to honour his demand.
However, Ruto detailed that he did not heed the demand, leading to the escalating fallout with the former second in command, which he claimed was a culmination of the brewing discord with MPs, his assistant Farouk Kibet, and even digital strategist Dennis Itumbi.
”Ikanifikia mimi, unajua mimi (Rigathi) naweza kukufanya one term president, nahitaji bilioni kumi ndio niende niongee na watu wa mlimani nikupangie siasa. I said I will not do it. Kama wewe ndio kuamua one term, amua vile unataka,” Ruto stated at the interview.
Which loosely translates to: ”Gachagua told me that I would be a one-term president if I did not meet certain conditions. He asked for Ksh10 billion to talk to the Mt Kenya region. I told him I would not do it. I told him if it’s one term, it’s okay if you’re the one to decide.”
Ruto on fallout
He further shed light on the fallout between him and Gachagua, describing a strained partnership marred by internal disputes and conflicting leadership approaches.
According to Ruto, the friction began soon after they assumed office, with endless controversies and disagreements dominating their working relationship.
“After the elections, we began working. Three things happened. First, there were cases every day, like ‘Oh, Itumbi has said something, or I don’t know what he has written.’ I called Itumbi, and we dealt with the case. After a week, Farouk Kibet, the PA, a junior person, ‘has done something,’ so we dealt with the case.
“Then, little by little, ‘Ndindi Nyoro has done something; he has called a meeting in Kiharu, I don’t know if he has organized MPs, why has he gathered so many MPs?’ I called Ndindi Nyoro, and we dealt with the case. After that, I don’t know what Kimani Ichung’wah had done,” Ruto said.
“So, I asked him, ‘You are the Deputy President; why are you getting into conflicts with this blogger? Why are you getting involved with a mere PA, a very junior person? Why are you getting into issues with these young men?’ I told him, ‘Please, let’s focus on the work for Kenyans. Later, he started fights with MPs, telling them that if they did not kneel before him, they would be sent home before December. And the MPs told him that before December, they would deal with him.”
