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| Ex-DP Rigathi Gachagua at Endarasha Hillside Academy after fire tragedy (l). President William Ruto assenting an amendment bill at State House (r) |
Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has launched another scathing critique of President William Ruto’s leadership, accusing him of running the government single-handedly while sidelining his Cabinet and ignoring dissenting views. . In what he described as a “one-man show,” Gachagua claimed that Ruto unilaterally makes decisions and reduces Cabinet secretaries to mere figureheads.
Speaking at Inooro TV on Sunday, December 15, he alleged that the ministers have no decision-making power and are limited to rubber-stamping presidential directives. “The president runs the country as a one-man show. These ministers you see are just flower girls—they have no say in anything. Even changing the Cabinet is pointless unless the president himself changes or is changed,” Gachagua alleged.
Why did Gachagua fall out with Ruto? Gachagua also delved into the reasons behind his fallout with Ruto, which he attributes to his impeachment as deputy president. According to the former Mathira MP, their disagreements lasted over a year and stemmed from his opposition to controversial government projects. One of the contentious issues he highlighted was the implementation of the Hustler Fund.
He criticised the initiative for offering small loans of KSh 500, which he argued failed to address the needs of ordinary Kenyans. “I would go to Karatina, and people would ask me, ‘What business can you start with KSh 500?’ I told him, ‘My boss, this Hustler Fund is angering the very people we promised to help.
We have abandoned them’,” he claimed. He added that he refused to be a ‘yes sir man’ and told the president that the country was headed in the wrong direction, but he allegedly ridiculed him and became angry. Gachagua urged Ruto to reconsider his approach to governance and to listen to the concerns of ordinary Kenyans instead of dismissing criticism.
“He should pause and ask himself why there is so much noise everywhere. Even in bars, people are complaining, and now musicians are singing about him. He should stop listening to his advisors because they are lying to him,” Gachagua remarked.
by Nancy Odindo