Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was confronted by a young supporter during a community public rally in Baltimore, USA, on Sunday, July 27, 2025.

Valentine Wanjiru Githae, who introduced herself as a Gen Z, told Gachagua that she attended the event to tell him the truth and disclose some blunders that could cost his ambition in 2027.

Without mincing her words, Valentine candidly told Gachagua to start positioning himself as a national leader and not as a tribal honcho.

Valentine frankly indicated that speaking Kikuyu on such forums could lock out supporters who do not understand the language.

“My name is Valentine Wanjiru Githae, and I am here representing the 625 Movement. And mheshimiwa, we are here to tell you the truth, and if we don’t tell the truth as Gen Zs we are doomed to fail, and Kasongo will be back in power,” she stated.

“You need to start positioning yourself as a national leader and not a tribal leader. I know many people won’t like what I am saying, but it is the truth. The first mistake that has been done in this event is speaking Kikuyu,” she added.

Valentine spelt out that if Gachagua keeps up with his strategy, other tribes would also realign with their communities.

“Unless that is addressed, all this will be for nothing because the moment we position ourselves as Kikuyu, another tribe positions itself, and before we know it, we are back in the same problem,” she explained.

He also took fault with Gachagua’s speech in Boston, where he said that the Mt Kenya residents are the largest drivers of the economy.

“I watched your speech about you in Boston, and there is something you said that the Kikuyu are more hardworking; we have grown the country. But we have done that because we are a beneficiary of Jomo Kenyatta,” she added.

Gachagua’s response

Responding to Valentine, Gachagua insisted that President William Ruto is the one who coined the tribal narrative.

“Now that I disagree with him, he has created a narrative that Gachagua is a tribalist. My daughter, don’t fall for that narrative. That narrative is meant to intimidate the Mt Kenya people,” Gachagua stated.

“My daughter, if you follow what happened before I came to America, businesses associated with Mt Kenya people were targeted, and most of those who were arrested and charged with terrorism were from Mt Kenya region,” he added.