A major political rift has been exposed at the highest levels of power in Kenya. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched a blistering public attack on President William Ruto, accusing him of orchestrating corruption and bribery within the very halls of Parliament. Speaking on Citizen TV’s The Explainer show, Gachagua made a series of explosive claims that have sent shockwaves throughout the nation, challenging the President's moral authority and casting a dark shadow over his administration.
Gachagua was unsparing in his critique, stating that President Ruto “has no moral authority” to accuse lawmakers of corruption because, he alleged, the Head of State is the one who has corrupted Parliament. He claimed that the President is paying Members of Parliament and Senators to ensure his political and legislative agenda is advanced. The former Deputy President provided specific figures to support his allegations, claiming that MPs were paid Ksh.200,000 each to support the controversial 2024 Finance Bill. He further alleged that those who voted for his impeachment received an even larger sum of Ksh.500,000, with Senators allegedly being offered as much as Ksh.10 million apiece.
But Gachagua’s accusations didn't stop at bribery. He claimed that the President is using a sinister form of political control by keeping files on every lawmaker who takes money from him. According to Gachagua, these files are a tool for blackmail, ensuring that legislators remain loyal and cannot abandon Ruto politically. "All those Senators and MPs who took money during my impeachment, who took money for the Finance Bill, William Ruto has a file on each one of you," Gachagua alleged, suggesting that their political fates are now tied to the President’s whims.
The former Deputy President also accused the President of using state agencies, including the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), to intimidate and threaten legislators who resist his bribery. In a particularly scathing remark, Gachagua described State House, the highest office in the land, as a “crime scene” openly perpetuating corruption. He posed a powerful question to the public: "The DP is carrying money in sacks, bribing women and young people to chant ‘two terms.’ Then the President pretends he can fight corruption. Where does he start?”
