Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party spokesperson Fredrick Okango has highlighted some of the reasons why Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is becoming isolated in President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.

Speaking on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, during a televised interview with one of the local TV stations, the Kenya African National Union (KANU) Secretary of Political Affairs gave six reasons why DP Gachagua looks like an unwanted man in Kenya Kwanza.

Okango on tension in govt

According to Okango, the tension in the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is one of the reasons why the second in command is slowly being isolated.

Okango further states that there has been public discontent with how DP Gachagua has been conducting himself, right from the time he stated that the Kenya Kwanza administration is a government of shares, and only shareholders would be given priority.

“Rigathi Gachagua as the Deputy President was once a stalwart ally of President Ruto. If you remember his statement during the inauguration, he said he was a truthful man, he was bold, and he called off the previous regime…and for a very long time, he has done it but recently, he is becoming isolated because of the reasons I am going to highlight,” Okango stated.

“Number one, there is tension within the government. That tension is coming from the ruling party that he belongs to, and therefore, he is an unwanted man. Number two, there is public discontent in the manner Gachagua has conducted himself, right from the time he told us that this is a shares government, and it is only those that have shares that will benefit.”

High cost of living

Okango went ahead to state that the high cost of living has also contributed to Gachagua’s discomfort in the government.

The former Thirdway Alliance secretary-general argues that as a principal assistant to the president, Gachagua has failed to help the Head of State lower the cost of living.

Moreover, Okango says DP Gachagua is feeling threatened by the broad-based government that President Ruto has adopted, which incorporates members of the opposition.

This, he says, will make the second in command to do some things that might put him at loggerheads with some of his allies.

“Then there is the issue of high cost of living that the people believe that he is the principal assistant of the president, and as the principal assistant, he should assist the president in lowering the cost of living. He has not, he is campaigning. The broad-based government is also a threat to him. Look at his body language, he behaves in a manner that he thinks he is being kicked out and therefore he is likely to do some things that will put him at loggerheads with his allies,” Okango said.

Okango further argued that when a section of Mt Kenya MPs endorsed Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as their intermediary between the people and the government while Gachagua, the kingpin of Mt. Kenya was present, it indicated a strained relationship with his allies.

DP Gachagua was a no-show over the weekend at an event that was graced by President Ruto in Nyeri County.

After Gachagua skipped the event, Senior Economic Advisor at State House Moses Kuria took to his official social media accounts to threaten that it was the last time a seat reserved for the second in command was going to remain vacant.

Gachagua on skipping the event

This prompted Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa to explain why DP Gachagua did not accompany President Ruto to Nyeri on Sunday, September 15, 2024.

In a statement, the Senator detailed that the DP could not make it to the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA), Central West Archdiocese, Nyeri County, where his boss joined congregants for a service and planned church expansion push.

According to the Senator, Gachagua stepped in to represent Ruto at Our Lady of Sorrows Baricho Catholic Parish in Ndia, Kirinyaga Count for the Centenary celebrations.

Gachagua also explained that he did not want to leave the celebrations midway to join his boss in Nyeri.

To clarify misinformation from political spin masters and the masterminds behind the plans to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua: Both the President and Deputy President were expected to attend services at the Kirinyaga and Nyeri churches. The President was specifically… https://t.co/pcuMRwvhRY pic.twitter.com/aO1j6tr8Om

— Sen. Karungo wa Thang'wa (@KarungoThangwa) September 15, 2024