Gachagua lookalike’s dream comes true as he finally meets former DP in the US
By Steve Ireri, September 7, 2026King Cyrus, a Kenyan man living in the United States who recently went viral during a Mugithi country music show over his striking resemblance to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has finally seen his dream of meeting the famous politician come true.
The two met on Sunday, September 6, 2026, in Washington, where they shared a warm conversation and caught up in a memorable encounter that brought together the politician and the man who had become an internet sensation because of his striking likeness to him.
In a video shared on TikTok, the two are seen standing side by side in cowboy hats, with Maasai shukas draped around them as they exchanged pleasantries and engaged in a light-hearted conversation.
They appeared to be in high spirits throughout the encounter, laughing as Gachagua extended his hand to greet Cyrus, who responded with a broad smile as they continued their conversation.
As they spoke, Gachagua appeared curious to know more about the man who had attracted so much attention online, asking him about his real name, whether he was genuinely from Kenya and what he does for a living in the United States.
“What is your real name? Wow, you were here in Seattle, and what is it that you do? Wow,” Gachagua said.
The man revealed that his name was Ndung’u before going on to explain the kind of work he does in the United States, giving the former Deputy President a glimpse into his life away from the viral attention he has recently received.
In the video, Gachagua’s wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, is also seen in his company and kept smiling as she watched the two men interact.
Pastor Dorcas also engaged with other people who were around them as the meeting progressed, with the encounter eventually coming to a warm and successful conclusion.
Viral resemblance
The short video, recorded during an outdoor diaspora festival in Seattle, Washington, showed attendees stopping in their tracks to marvel at the man’s facial features, smile and cheerful demeanour.
At the time, Cyrus was dressed in a broad brown cowboy hat, a plaid button-down shirt and brown trousers, an outfit that closely mirrored the casual fashion choices often associated with Gachagua during his public political engagements.
Text overlaying the clip read, “I met Gachagua akiwa mdogo look alike hahaha in Seattle, Washington,” drawing even greater attention to the man’s uncanny resemblance to a younger version of Kenya’s former Deputy President.
As Cyrus walked across the grassy field, festival-goers quickly gathered around him for handshakes and brief greetings, with people in the crowd bursting into laughter as they marvelled at his resemblance to the politician.
One attendee could be heard shouting, “Huyu jamaa anafanana na Gachagua bwana!” as another quickly called out, “DP!” while the lookalike smiled warmly and continued greeting people around him.
Others pointed at him, jokingly shouting, “Huyu ni Gachagua!” while some questioned him directly, asking, “Mbona unafanana na Gachagua?” as the light-hearted encounter continued.
Kenyans online subsequently embraced the moment, with some affectionately referring to the man as “Gachagua Mdogo” while praising his good-humoured response to the sudden attention.