Gachagua: Tribalism is a false narrative to distract Kenyans

DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua during an exclusive interview with KTN at his Karen Residence on October 5, 2025. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says all challenges facing the country emanate from the selling public asserts, engaging in human rights violations and war on corruption by president William Ruto's government.

Gachagua said that President Ruto has been creating a false narrative that tribalism is the biggest problem and there is need for cohesion yet the country is united against theft of public resources and corruption.

“Tribalism is not a problem in the country and I’m very disappointed that even serious political commentators have bought this narrative by Ruto so that we do not discuss the real issues on how he has messed up the country in three years,” Gachagua said in an interview with KTN.

He also condemned the Government over what he termed as putting Kenyans’ health data at risk through the Sh208 billion deal with President Donald Trumps US government, describing it as unacceptable because the country should not agree to sell its medical records to foreigners.

“Even if we are poor, we have our own dignity. The right to privacy is absolute. We cannot give our medical records to Americans for their own research and analysis. I think it is very inappropriate for the President to brag that he had signed an agreement with Americans so that we can give away our medical records,” he said.

He lauded the move by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah to move to court over the deal saying the country should not allow auctioning of health data.

President and Health CS Aden Duale say the five-year cooperation framework, signed on December 4 in Washington, is designed to support Kenya’s priority health programs and strengthen the sustainability of national health systems but critics it was a give and take deal for the US to release Sh200 billion in health funding to Kenya.

And yesterday, the High Court issued conservatory orders halting the implementation of the Cooperation Framework on Health between the Government of Kenya and the United States, signed on 4 December 2025.

“…a conservatory order is hereby issued suspending, staying, and restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, their agents, or assigns, from implementing, operationalising, or otherwise giving effect to the Health Cooperation Framework executed on or about December 4, in so far as it provides for or facilitates the transfer, sharing, or dissemination of medical, epidemiological, or sensitive personal health data,” read the court order.

On Safaricom PLC, Gachagua said that 25 per cent shares were sold to Kenyans through the Initial Public Offering (IPO) and it was oversubscribed and today, more are being sold to foreign company.

“You should look at the potential of a company and its projected growth to know its potential value. Again, this is a company that is so central to Kenyans, why would you want to give it to a foreigner. If this company must be sold, why not to Kenyans open it up and let the people buy,” he said.

Gachagua insisted that the Constitution makes public participation a mandatory requirement when dealing with such assets, even as he accused the Government of hurriedly roping it in as an afterthought.

“If you look at this company, since inception, they have paid trillions in taxes and billions in terms of dividends every year. What is the wisdom of selling it to a foreign company?” he posed.

On Monday, Parliament invited Kenyans to submit memoranda on the partial sale of government shares in Safaricom, signalling the start of the public participation process.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Samuel Njoroge, said the move is in line with Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution, which obliges Parliament to facilitate public participation in legislative and other parliamentary matters.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary James Mbadi has submitted Sessional Paper No. 3 of 2025 on the proposed partial divestiture of Safaricom PLC to the National Assembly. The paper has been referred to the Departmental Committees on Finance and National Planning and on Public Debt and Privatisation for consideration and reporting to the House.

The government plans to sell a 15 per cent stake in Safaricom PLC, a transaction expected to raise over Sh244.5 billion. However, the proposal has sparked debate over potential undervaluation and transparency concerns.

“Now, in compliance with Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution, the Clerk of the National Assembly invites the public and stakeholders—including shareholders, management, employees, customers, regulators and interested parties—to submit memoranda on the Sessional Paper to the relevant departmental committees,” Njoroge said.

The former DP insisted that the country is headed in the wrong direction and instead of Ruto focusing on addressing the challenges in major sectors like health and education, he has been dealing with non-existent issues.