Journalist and political commentator Kwamchetsi Makokha has questioned whether President William Ruto’s decision to remove former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office could ultimately prove to be one of his most expensive political miscalculations.
In an analysis of the political developments surrounding Gachagua’s impeachment, Makokha argued that the removal was not simply the result of a personal disagreement between the President and his deputy, but part of a broader political realignment following the Gen Z protests of June and July 2024.
“The impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua looked like a straightforward exercise in presidential power,” Makokha said, arguing that the political circumstances surrounding the removal were more complicated than a dispute between two leaders.
The Gen Z protests forced Ruto to withdraw the Finance Bill 2024 and dismiss his Cabinet after widespread public opposition. Makokha said the demonstrations also disrupted established political alliances and changed the calculations that had shaped Ruto’s rise to power in 2022.
“Then Gen Z revolt changed the game,” he observed, noting that Ruto subsequently moved to bring political figures who had previously been on the opposing side closer to his administration.
The President’s broad-based government included cooperation with ODM leader Raila Odinga and the appointment of politicians associated with retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In December 2024, Ruto appointed former Cabinet ministers Mutahi Kagwe, Lee Kinyanjui and William Kabogo to his Cabinet, in what was presented as part of efforts to broaden the administration’s political base.
According to Makokha, these changes created a difficult position for Gachagua, who had been instrumental in Ruto’s 2022 victory, particularly in securing support from the Mt Kenya region.
Gachagua had, however, increasingly sought to establish himself as an independent political voice for the region, a position that Makokha argues became harder for the President to accommodate as his political strategy changed.
“Gachagua was not merely Ruto’s deputy. He was part of the political bargain that had taken Ruto to State House,” Makokha said.
The former deputy president was impeached by the National Assembly in October 2024 before the Senate upheld the charges, resulting in his removal from office. He was subsequently replaced by Kithure Kindiki.
Makokha argues that the decision may have produced an unintended political consequence by removing the constraints that came with Gachagua being part of the government.
“Outside government, Gachagua no longer had to defend Ruto. He could oppose him,” he said.
The commentator further argued that the impeachment transformed Gachagua from a senior member of the administration into a potential political rival with greater freedom to mobilise his political base.
“The impeachment transformed a subordinate into a political rival. Bad miscalculation,” Makokha stated.
He cautioned that although Ruto’s broad-based government may have helped strengthen his parliamentary numbers and ease the task of governing, securing a winning coalition for the next election would present a different challenge.
“Ruto did not have to like Gachagua. He did not even have to trust him. He merely had to keep him inside the tent,” Makokha argued.
His assessment comes as the political landscape ahead of the 2027 General Election continues to evolve, with former allies and new alliances increasingly shaping the contest for political influence.