Gachagua: We won’t sit back and watch our country descend into anarchy and dictatorship
By Faith Lagat, August 5, 2025Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has issued a scathing rebuke of President William Ruto’s administration, accusing it of dragging Kenya into an unprecedented political and diplomatic crisis.
His remarks, posted on X dated August 5, 2025, follow a move by the U.S. Senate to reconsider Kenya’s designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally.
The bill, sponsored by Senator James Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, cites concerns over the Kenyan government’s alleged links with non-state armed groups and foreign terrorist organisations.
It calls for a reassessment of Kenya’s alliance status based on its associations and actions deemed contrary to U.S. security interests.
Call for accountability
Gachagua directly linked the unfolding diplomatic fallout to what he termed the impunity and recklessness of the Ruto administration.
“The impunity in Kenya by William Ruto and his mafia has reached Washington,” he said.
He warned that Kenya risks becoming a pariah state, claiming the country has turned into a financial haven for individuals and groups sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
He accused the government of enabling human rights abuses and the misuse of foreign intelligence. “We warned you about Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces and Al-Shabaab,” Gachagua said, referencing previous calls for the government to distance itself from controversial international actors. He alleged that the Ruto administration had ignored calls to end police brutality, forced disappearances, and the use of militias against civilians.
Appeal to Kenyans abroad
With the U.S. Senate expecting a report from top American intelligence and defence officials within 90 to 180 days, Gachagua urged Kenyans in the diaspora to act. “I urge Kenyans living and working in the USA to reach out to their senators with information and facts,” he said, framing the issue as a shared national concern that transcends borders.
Diplomatic fallout looms
The implications could be far-reaching. Kenya may lose critical defence and security cooperation with the U.S., including military support, joint training, and regional security operations. “Mr. William Ruto must answer to the people of Kenya and take full responsibility for shaming our beloved country,” Gachagua said, concluding his statement with a warning against dictatorship and a call for national vigilance.