Gachagua: Ruto's Aide Angrily Called Me For Not Defending Adani Deal

Gachagua revealed that his responsibilities in the position had included defending government projects, even those that attracted widespread public criticism.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Jan 27, 2025 - 18:37
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Gachagua: Ruto's Aide Angrily Called Me For Not Defending Adani Deal
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua speaking at The Guardian Angels Tetu Catholic Church in Nyeri town Constituency, Nyeri County on January 5, 2025. /RIGATHI GACHAGUA

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, in another firebrand attack on President William Ruto, revealed fresh intricate details about the Kenya Kwanza administration during his tenure as the second-in-command.

Speaking on Monday, January 27 during the launch of the new offices of the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), Gachagua revealed that his responsibilities in the position had included defending government projects, even those that attracted widespread public criticism.

He recalled receiving a phone call from an aide of President William Ruto, angrily asking him why he refused to defend the Adani deal at a time the particulars of it, majorly touching on operations of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, was heavily criticised by all quarters apart from those allied to the government.

"He was telling me to go and defend the Adani Deal. I was at a funeral with Wamalwa and Onyonka when he (Onyonka) called out the government for the deal. I just sat, listening but did not even nod because I was still in office. When I stood up, I did not respond," he narrated.

"Later on, one of the President's PAs (Personal Assistants), a standard six drop-out, called me furiously asking what type of a DP I was for not defending the Adani deal after Onyonka's speech. I told him 'I cannot answer you. Tell your boss to call me.' So the President called me and I told him I could not defend the deal because it was shrouded in corruption."

Gachagua said that this was one of the reasons why he was labelled incompetent, for reportedly not defending government projects which he deemed as corrupt. According to him, the entire government was riddled with shady deals that he was unable to defend. Among the projects he named was the relocation of Kenyans from the Nairobi River and the Marikiti Market.

In his fiery rant, he also alleged that Kenya's State House was the most corrupt institution in the country, where corrupt individuals flock to strike deals with the President. During his tenure, he recounted having to wait up to five hours to speak to the President as he engaged with such individuals.

Gachagua went on to boldly single out the Affordable Housing Programme championed by President Ruto, a legacy project that intended to benefit hundreds of thousands of Kenyans annually.

"If you look at the Affordable Housing Programme, it is the worst fraud against the people of Kenya and it is good that I tell the country," the former DP claimed.

"It has nothing to do with housing. It is business. If you want to build a house, you must go and sign a contract with companies that will sell the cement, steel and iron sheets and people behind those companies are at State House."

He went on to allege that tenders to supply materials like cement, roofing materials, and building bars were subcontracted to top government officials. To keep the money flowing, Gachagua claimed that more houses needed to be built continually.

"So this housing levy that is charged to Kenyans is to make sure these houses keep being built so that these people can sell the materials. That is what the President is accusing me of not understanding and being incompetent," he stated.

Consequently, he asserted that should a new government be elected in 2027, the programme needed to shut down. The Affordable Housing Programme in the Kenya Kwanza administration was introduced after the introduction of the Housing Levy. Both salaried Kenyans and those in the informal sector are required to contribute 1.5 per cent of their monthly incomes to the projects.

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