Kiunjuri blasts Gachagua over claims Ruto fooled him

Caption:Kiunjuri further accused Gachagua of focusing on personal vendettas and divisive rhetoric, particularly in the Mount Kenya region, rather than proposing solutions for Kenyans.

Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri has strongly criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for claiming that President William Ruto deceived him and the Mount Kenya region

Speaking on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Kiunjuri discredited Gachagua’s narrative as inconsistent and misleading, specifically ridiculing his choice of an ear as the symbol for his new Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), suggesting it contradicts his claim of being easily misled. 

“You say that when we were sworn in, Ruto deceived you, and now you are asking for forgiveness.  If you are always being deceived and now you are telling us to hold onto the ear because your party’s symbol is an ear, what will you say if we elect you and later you tell us your party’s symbol is no longer an ear but a leg?” Kiunjuiri posed.

Kiunjuri further accused Gachagua of focusing on personal vendettas and divisive rhetoric, particularly in the Mount Kenya region, rather than proposing solutions for Kenyans. In the recent past, Gachagua has been vocal about his claims that Ruto deceived him regarding their political partnership and promises during the 2022 election campaign. 

Gachagua, impeached in October 2024, has continually expressed feeling sidelined by Ruto despite their joint efforts in mobilising the Mount Kenya region during the campaign. He has since launched the DCP party to challenge Ruto’s administration, using these claims to rally support.

Deception

Gachagua has accused Ruto of misleading Kenyans, including himself, with unfulfilled promises made during the 2022 election campaign. He claims Ruto promised to put money in people’s pockets but instead imposed heavy taxes, taking away the little they had. Gachagua expressed regret for believing Ruto’s pledges, stating that he was deceived just like ordinary Kenyans.

Gachagua has also said their political alliance was doomed from the start because Ruto sought a submissive deputy rather than a principled partner. He claims Ruto used his influence in Mount Kenya to secure votes in 2022 but sidelined him after taking office, revealing a lack of genuine partnership.

Further, Gachagua alleges he was misled about the intentions of key government initiatives, particularly the Affordable Housing Programme. He initially supported it, believing it would create jobs and provide housing, but later claimed it was a fraudulent scheme focused on business interests, such as selling cement and steel, rather than benefiting Kenyans. He says his opposition to the programme led to their fallout.

Gachagua has also claimed Ruto orchestrated his impeachment in October 2024 as part of a broader plan to silence him for speaking out against government wrongdoings. He alleges Ruto never intended to work with him in the long term, using him only for electoral gain, and later targeted him with political retaliation, including attempts to intimidate or harm him.