Gachagua: Why I could not help Ruto defend SHA and Adani deals

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has cheekily asked his former boss, President William Ruto, to pardon him for failing to defend some government projects, including Adani deals and the Social Health Authority (SHA).

Speaking in an interview with a local TV station on Sunday, December 1, 2024, Gachagua explained that he could only defend government projects that were above board.

Gachagua clarified that he did not want to associate himself with projects marred with controversies and graft claims.

The former DP detailed that he defended farmers’ registration exercise to get fertiliser, coffee, and tea reforms.

“I defended everything that was above board. Registration of farmers for fertiliser programme, I defended, I worked on it, coffee reforms I defended, tea reforms I defended… anything that was above board.

“But issues of corruption, issues of theft of public funds, I could not go and defend,” Ruto stated.

“I ask President William Ruto to forgive me, ‘I am sorry, my former boss, Adani, I could not help you to defend, SHA, I could not help you to defend,” Gachagua made the sentiments in response to Ruto’s statement during the Deputy President Kithure Kindiki inauguration, where he claimed that he was the lonely voice at the executive.

Let Kindiki do it

Gachagua maintained that he was elected alongside President William Ruto and that he could not help push government projects, which were widely rejected by the people.

He thus argued that Kindiki was an appointee of Ruto, and now he could help Ruto defend the contentious projects.

“So I could not go and defend something that was anti-people because I was elected. This is the difference between me and the current deputy president; he is an appointee of President William Ruto. I was not an employee of President William Ruto; I was an employee of the people. It was therefore right for me to defend anything that is anti-people,” Gachagua argued.

While defending his sentiments, he noted that Adani was widely rejected by Kenyans and that the launch of SHA was hurried.

“If something is good, people should be rushing to register,” he criticised SHA, adding that Ksh104 billion spent on the programme was expensive.