Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hit out at Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, urging him to stop comparing President William Ruto’s administration with that of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta whenever the country faces challenges.

Speaking during a press briefing in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Gachagua said the Kenya Kwanza administration should take full responsibility for the current state of the country instead of shifting blame to the previous regime.

According to Gachagua, Murkomen has consistently defended the current government by comparing the cost of living and economic conditions under Ruto’s administration to those experienced during Uhuru’s tenure.

“Uhuru is no longer the president. The current president is William Ruto and he should be held accountable for the situation Kenyans are facing today. He cannot blame Uhuru. Let him run the country, and you cannot keep on anytime there is a small problem, comparing the reign of Uhuru and William Ruto,” Gachagua said.

Function system during Uhuru regime

The former Deputy President argued that the previous administration handed over a stable government with functioning systems in key sectors, including healthcare and education, as well as relatively affordable fuel prices.

He claimed that nearly four years into office, the current leadership was still blaming the former administration instead of addressing the country’s economic challenges.

“Uhuru handed over a country that was working with a working education system, health system and four years down the line, there is no country,” Gachagua said.

Gachagua further pointed to rising fuel prices, saying matatu operators did not stage strikes during the previous regime because pump prices had only risen to about Ksh135 per litre, compared to the current prices, which he claimed had surpassed Ksh200 per litre.

Murkomen recnt comment

This comes following the recent remarks by Murkomen urging transport operators to avoid industrial action over rising fuel prices, saying the sector previously handled similar challenges under retired President Uhuru Kenyatta without resorting to strikes or disruptions of services.

Murkomen said the current fuel price pressures were not unique to the administration of Uhuru and should be addressed through dialogue rather than withdrawal of services.

“The leaders of the matatu industry at that point in time never protested against the government. You should ask yourselves why did they feel that it was okay to understand Uhuru Kenyatta, but when it is President Ruto, they should go to the streets,” Murkomen said.