Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto, claiming that his speeches are being widely rejected because he has lost touch with the people and no longer commands the respect he once enjoyed.

Speaking in Machakos County during a church service at Gospel Confirmation Centre (GCC) on Sunday, March 2, 2025, Gachagua painted a grim picture of Ruto’s dwindling influence, stating that his former boss had alienated those who propelled him to power and was now struggling to regain their trust.

Gachagua attributed this growing discontent to Ruto’s miscalculations, particularly his decision to sideline key allies who had played an instrumental role in his election.

According to him, the president had assumed that he could single-handedly control the political landscape without the backing of those who brought him to power. However, this gamble has backfired, leaving him politically stranded and desperate for new alliances.

“Nimechukua kila mtu aliyekuwa kwake. Sasa yeye ni minority. Huyu Kalonzo unadharau, hawa Wakamba unadharau, watakuja kukupeleka nyumbani. Alikuwa pia mimi amenidharau akifikiri nitasahaulika. Sasa vile niliondoka, saa hii Raila Odinga akiambia Ruto amuoshe miguu, atamuosha. Because amekwama,” he declared.

He went on to argue that Ruto had once believed that he was the ultimate leader of the Mount Kenya region, but in reality, his support had crumbled.

According to Gachagua, if elections were held today, Ruto would be a distant third or fourth because the political dynamics had shifted dramatically. He asserted that the people who had once rallied behind Ruto had since abandoned him, leaving him exposed and vulnerable.

“Yeye alituidharau akifikiria sisi ni watu wa kawaida. Sasa yeye ni minority. Hii uchaguzi, sisi tukiweka candidate wetu na mwingine asimame, William Ruto atakuwa namba nne ama namba tatu akijaribu,” Gachagua warned.

Beyond his personal fallout with Ruto, Gachagua pointed to a broader wave of public disillusionment that was making it increasingly difficult for the president to sell his message.

He recounted instances where Ruto’s attempts to speak at public gatherings had been met with rejection, with mourners and congregants refusing to accept his condolences at funerals.

He cited an instance in Embu where the president had attempted to extend condolences at a church function, only for the congregation to refuse them outright.

“Alikuja pale Embu siku moja, rambirambi ikakataliwa. Wakasema Meghni aje lakini hatutaki uongo. Kama hawakupendi, hawapigi makofi. Ilikuwa sherehe ya skofu, akaanza uongo ya ati serikali inafanya kazi, akaambiwa rudisha uongo yako shuguli iendelee,” he revealed.

Gachagua warned that this growing rejection of Ruto’s speeches was a symptom of a much deeper political crisis.

He alleged that the administration had prioritised self-preservation over governance, funnelling public funds into questionable activities while neglecting the needs of ordinary Kenyans.

He further claimed that the government was spending billions on clandestine operations to buy loyalty rather than addressing the real grievances of the people.

“So kazi yake ni hii: 1.3 trillion wametoa, wakaweka kwa ma-container ya kuhonga watu. Hii mali mchukue mkule, mkule, siku ya kufunga hoteli nitatangaza,” he said mockingly.