Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, has revealed that he and his team were removed from the official WhatsApp group used to coordinate President William Ruto’s schedule, escalating concerns about a potential rift at the highest levels of the government.
In a candid interview on Citizen TV, Gachagua disclosed that he no longer has access to the presidential diary, making it difficult for him to coordinate with the president and fulfill his duties effectively. “I was removed. My private secretary and my chief of staff were also removed,” Gachagua said, identifying the president’s private secretary as the person responsible for the exclusion. The deputy president suggested that the move could be part of a broader effort by certain figures close to Ruto to portray him as negligent in his role.
Gachagua emphasized that the lack of access to the presidential schedule has impacted his ability to align his duties with those of the president. “I am not an angel to know where the president will be. If Kenyans don’t see me at a function, it’s because I wasn’t informed,” he said. He also raised concerns that this miscommunication was being used to create a perception of his absence at critical events as a sign of disloyalty or dereliction of duty.
The deputy president was candid about the growing frustration within his office, citing instances of being left out of key government functions. Gachagua, who serves as the president’s principal assistant, expressed his belief that certain individuals within the president’s inner circle were deliberately creating friction between him and Ruto. “There are mischievous people around the president… trying to create a wedge between me and him,” he remarked, adding that he had no reason to believe Ruto was behind these actions.
Despite these challenges, Gachagua reiterated his commitment to supporting Ruto’s administration, though he acknowledged that the situation has strained his relationship with the president. “I am asking President William Ruto to please keep his promise,” Gachagua said, referencing a pledge Ruto made during the campaign to protect his deputy from the mistreatment that Ruto himself experienced when he was deputy to former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Gachagua also outlined his achievements over the past year, including chairing 35 cabinet committees and overseeing reforms in key sectors such as agriculture. He noted that the coffee sector reforms, which he was tasked with spearheading, had already led to a significant improvement in prices for farmers. However, the deputy president voiced concerns about being sidelined in several initiatives, including the Nairobi Rivers Commission, which he had initially been appointed to lead but later saw reassigned to the president without his involvement.
The deputy president denied rumors of his resignation, affirming his intention to serve out his term. “I was given a job by the people of Kenya, and I intend to fulfill that mandate,” he said, though he conceded that the difficulties he has encountered in his first year in office came much sooner than he had anticipated.
