Ruto-Gachagua feud escalates, echoes past fallout with Uhuru

President William Ruto and his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua with other leaders, at ACK Church of Christ the King Pro-Cathedral in Nyahururu, Nyandarua County, for the consecration and enthronement of Rev. Major Samson Mburu Gachathi on June 23,2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

President William Ruto's political fallout with his former Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, has escalated into a personal feud, drawing parallels to Ruto's bitter split with former President Uhuru Kenyatta, which also descended into personal and even family-level animosity.

Last week, President Ruto publicly lashed out at Gachagua over claims that the government had allegedly procured a State-sponsored militia to collaborate with police and other security agencies to maim, kill and destroy property-blaming the violence on the Kikuyu community and certain leaders perceived to be hostile to the Kenya Kwanza administration.