Former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, has criticised his successor, Kithure Kindiki, over the manner in which he assumed office. Speaking in a DW Kiswahili interview on January 30, 2026, Gachagua said Kindiki lacks legitimacy because parliament, not voters, appointed him.

Gachagua described Kindiki’s rise as a shortcut that bypassed the constitution.

“Yeye si mridhi wangu, alipewa kiti kwa njia ya mabavu, kwa njia ya udanganyifu, njia ya kuonga watu na njia ya mkato. Katiba ya Kenya inasema wazi kwamba naibu wa rais atachaguliwa na wananchi.”

He added that Kindiki has little public support because no one elected him.

“Njia nyingine yoyote ni njia ya mkato, na hakuna mtu anaweza kummsikiza Kenya. Na kwa hii Mlimani, kwa sababu hakuna mtu alimchagua.”

This, Gachagua claimed, forces Kindiki to pay crowds to attend his events.

“Ndiyo unaona ako na shida sana, ya kwamba akienda pahali lazima aweke watu kwenye hema wapatiwe pesa, ndio wamsikize. Mimi sishindani na yeye na siwezi kushindana naye. Ata mambo yake sizungumzangi, kwa sababu huyu ni mfanyakazi wa Ruto.”

Gachagua also spoke about his own political journey and his plans to become president. He said any Kenyan president must first build influence locally, citing Ruto as an example.

“Hakuna vile utakuwa rais wa nchi ya Kenya bila kupata ushawishi nyumbani. Ata William Ruto ndio akuwe rais wa Kenya alianzia nyumbani.”

He said Ruto started at the local level, gained acceptance, then expanded nationally. Gachagua urged aspiring leaders to earn support in their home areas before pursuing national office.

Gachagua defends human rights

On human rights, Gachagua defended his record, denying claims he ignored abductions and violations while in government. He stated that he opposed abuses from inside the administration, recalling a press conference in Mombasa on June 26, 2024, when he was deputy president.

“Nilipoita press conference Mombasa na tarehe 26 mwezi wa sita 2024 nilikuwa naibu rais na nikapinga vikali. Nilikuwa office kwa hivyo hakuna mtu yoyote anayeweza kusema ati mimi nimeanza kupinga hii maneno wakati nimefurushwa wa serikali,” he said.

“Nilipinga nikiwa ndani na ndio tulikosana na William Ruto kwa sababu nilipinga kutoka ndani. Akaona anifurushe lakini pia nimepata nafasi nzuri sana ya kukosoa serikali ….lakini mtu yoyote asiseme mimi nimeanza kupinga saa hili nimetoka.”

Gachagua escalated his attack on Ruto, accusing him of turning Kenya into a dictatorship.

“Mimi ningetaka kuchukua na fasi hii kuomba marafiki zetu nchi ya kimataifa. Marafiki wetu kutoka Amerika, kutoka Uingereza, kutoka Ujerumani, kutoka Ufaransa, kutoka South Afrika, na nchi zote ambazo tumekuwa na usiano wa maana watusaidie, kwa sababu huyu Rais amekuwa dikteta na ametangaza atakuwa dikteta.”

“Huyu Rais ameamua ya kwamba atachafua amani katika jamhuri ya Kenya. Na tukiona vile polisi wanaendelea, tunaogofya ya kwamba kutatokea vita katika nchi ya Kenya wakati wa uchaguzi. Na kwa hivi tunaomba nchi za kigeni wasituachilie. Waite huyu William Ruto wamwambie Hawache hiyo maneno. Kwa sababu Kenya hapana Tanzania, hapana Uganda.”

Gachagua also described a recent attack on him, which he blamed on police and top officials.

“Ile shambulizi kulikuwa na magari ya polisi,” he said, noting police carried AK-47s.

“Kila mtu anajua hiyo shambulizi ilikuwa imepangwa na polisi,” he added, naming Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen and Ruto as aware. He warned that Kenya must avoid tactics used in neighbouring countries like Tanzania or Uganda.