Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has opened up about the key moments that triggered his bitter political fallout with President William Ruto, a conflict that ultimately culminated in his impeachment.
Speaking on the Iko Nini podcast, Gachagua traced the breakdown in their relationship to the controversial Finance Bill 2024 and the government’s response to youth-led protests.
According to Gachagua, tensions began during internal discussions over the Finance Bill, which sought to introduce new taxes and fiscal measures widely viewed as unpopular.
He claimed to have warned the President against pushing the legislation through amid growing public opposition.
“I told him the people of Kenya will not take it. If you insist, there will be rejection, and we shall be left with an egg on our faces. Please do not force it,” Gachagua recounted.
Despite the warning, Gachagua said the President insisted on advancing the bill. The move, he added, triggered a nationwide outcry, particularly among young Kenyans, leading to mass demonstrations in major towns and cities.
The protests quickly escalated, resulting in clashes with security forces.
“The bill was forced. When it was forced, people said no,” Gachagua said, linking the legislation directly to the eruption of unrest.
The former deputy president said the breaking point came during a National Security Council meeting convened as the protests intensified.
He openly opposed a hardline approach proposed by top security officials to clamp down on demonstrators.
“A decision was made, to clamp them down. And I said, no, I disagree with that decision. Let us listen to these young people. They have a point, and what they are saying is what the whole country is saying,” Gachagua revealed.
Gachagua argued that his dissent put him in direct conflict with the President, further straining their working relationship.
He described feeling sidelined within government decision-making, particularly as events escalated after June 25, 2024, when protesters were killed during violent confrontations near Parliament.
The incident, Gachagua said, highlighted a fundamental disagreement over governance and engagement with citizens’ concerns.
He suggested that the handling of the protests, combined with the Finance Bill debacle, marked a turning point that made reconciliation increasingly difficult.