Gachagua calls out Macron over Sh7 billion payout

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua yesterday took swipe at Emmanuel Macron and termed him ‘accomplice’ of t

he controversial compensation of Sh7 billion payout to a cancelled Rironi-Mau Summit road project, even as he urged the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to call out Kenya over gross violation of human rights.

 While dismissing the ongoing African Forward Summit as a sideshow and a ploy by President William Ruto to seek political “affirmation” and a “reprieve” from domestic pressure, Gachagua regretted how Ruto cancelled the Sh159.25 billion contract to construct Mai Mahiu which had been awarded to French firms and awarded it to a Chinese Contractor at an inflated cost of Sh200 billion.

 “The difference of Sh50 Billion is the share of corruption you are highly involved in and your country through your firms. But your biggest interest and the reason as to why your French firms accepted cancellation of this Mau-Rironi Mau Summit is the Sh7.3 Billion which you are well aware of. You are an accomplice in the Sh7.3 Billion and that is the money you have come for as negotiated between yourself and Ruto’ he said.

 The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader attributed the noise by a section of Kenyans to Macron on Monday with the dissatisfaction with the controversy saying: ‘This is the message Kenyans were passing to you yesterday (Monday) if you didn’t know why they made noise. Kenyans are asking you not to leave our borders with this money. We need to pay school fees for our children.”

 According to Gachagua, Kenyans demanded answers from Macron over the contested hotel Leopard Rock at the Meru National park claiming a French National had demanded Sh64 million from the Meru County government claiming children risked missing school as a result of the controversy.

 “Be informed that the military pact that you signed with Ruto in 2025 on Defense cooperation has caused a lot of discomfort to the people of Kenya; kindly revisit,” he said.

 He added: “Unbeknown to Guterres and Macron, we want to let them know whom they are dining with Ruto, a man who is the greatest dis-respecter of the rule of law, the greatest human rights violator, a vicious man, a callous character, a con master and a practicing dictator on internship from African dictators like Samia Saluhu, Yoweri Museveni and his contemporaries from other African countries especially the ones dining at state house now for a talk-show.”

 He maintained that Ruto was to blame for the murders and abductions of the Gen-Zs during the 2024 protests and cited his alleged involvements with the Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces leaders who have been sanctioned by the US.

 “This is the man who in June 2024 butchered GenZs in their numbers, abducted others. This is the man who is the real commander of the RSF and the primary responsibility bearer of the war in Darfur where thousands of women and children are being butchered,” he claimed.

 Gachagua claimed Kenya had become a ‘global hub for abductions, human trafficking, an international drug superhighway and international drug destination’ and claimed that over 50 foreign nationals have been abducted, tortured or killed on Kenyan soil over the last four years.

  These incidents generally fall into two categories: transnational repression targeting asylum seekers and political critics, and terrorist-related kidnappings in specific high-risk regions. Ruto has colluded with foreign governments to seize political dissidents and asylum seekers.

 He cited incidents such as the killing of seven Turkish asylum seekers in October 2024, the abduction of Uganda;s Opposition leader Kizza Besigye in November 2024, the abduction of Tanzania’s human activist Maria Sarungi in January last year among others.

 Gachagua claimed Ruto’s involvement with M23 rebels had made the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi uncomfortable of visiting the summit and instead opted to go to Uganda for President Museveni Inauguration saying it was a ‘a clear statement of his discomfort with Kenya’s interference in DRC Congo.

 He claimed instead of boasting of hosting over 30 Presidents, Ruto should have  focused on solving domestic issues such as the killing of 6 Kenyans killed in Mandera county allegedly ‘by Jubaland forces who continue to illegally occupy the Kenyan soil.’

 “This is highly occasioned by issuance of the Kenyans national IDs to the non-Kenyans Somalis to enable them to get easy access to passports across the world. This has opened the world to terror groups in terrorists’ shells in Somali. The world Must beware of this,” he said.

  At the same time, Gachagua accused Ruto of presiding over a goonism country claiming that the country risked having about 2 million goons ‘in the stress courtesy of Ruto’s creation.

 “Mr. Guterres, be informed that  Ruto is the greatest threat to Kenyan democracy and human rights violations. Kenya has become a haven of state sponsored goonism and political intolerance. Ahead of the August 10 2027polls, Kenya risks having over 2 million goons in the streets courtesy of William Ruto’s creation.

 He added: “Kenya risks the Haiti route. Women and children are tortured and attacked in churches with live ammunition, teargas canisters and the brutality of clubs and machetes; not once not twice. Businesses belonging to certain communities are being torched by goons under police escort and the president remains silent.”

 He urged the UN  to take not of Ruto’s actions and omissions ahead of next year’s polls claiming he (Ruto) ‘in a mischievous way was creating electoral fear and voter suppression. Kenya risks slipping into anarchy might Mr. William Ruto be tempted to rig the elections that he is bound to lose.’ [Ndungu Gachane]