Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua firmly denied any involvement in corruption during a recent gathering in Swindon, United Kingdom. He accused President William Ruto of growing desperate in efforts to pin wrongdoing on him. Speaking to Kenyans living abroad on May 22, 2026, Gachagua positioned himself as someone ready to tackle graft head-on while dismissing attempts to link him to shady deals. The exchange highlights the deepening rift between the two former allies.
Gachagua, who served as Kenya’s deputy president before his impeachment in late 2024, addressed a room filled with supporters waving small Kenyan flags. The air carried the faint smell of tea and snacks as people leaned forward in their seats. He spoke with visible energy, gesturing with his hands and pausing for emphasis while wearing a distinctive hat that has become part of his public look.
“I don’t want to brag. I have never been involved in corruption. I am the one to deal with corruption,” he told the crowd. His words drew nods and murmurs of agreement from listeners who had travelled from different parts of the UK to hear him.
Tensions Between Old Allies Reach New Heights
The former deputy president did not hold back when describing what he sees as Ruto’s frustration. He claimed the president had searched high and low for any personal failing but came up empty.
“Ruto is so frustrated. He has tried to look for a fault in my life, and he cannot get any,” Gachagua said. He went on to share a specific story that raised eyebrows in the room. According to him, agents went as far as Manyani prison to find someone with a criminal past.
“They went to Manyani and looked for a robber who was jailed there for 20 years and told him to say that he was a son to my late brother. Nobody knows him, and we have never seen him. He doesn’t even look like us,” Gachagua explained, his voice rising with disbelief. Attendees shifted in their chairs, some shaking their heads at the tale.
This latest flare-up comes amid ongoing political manoeuvring ahead of Kenya’s next general election. Gachagua has been touring different places, including stops in the United States and now the United Kingdom, to reconnect with the diaspora.
Many in these communities remember his role in delivering Mount Kenya votes for Ruto in 2022. Their fallout has been public and personal, with both sides trading accusations.
One woman in the audience, who asked not to be named, whispered afterward that she appreciated the directness. “He speaks like one of us,” she said quietly to her neighbour. The event itself had a community feel, with people chatting between segments and checking updates on their phones.
Gachagua also touched on broader issues during his time on stage. He insisted that his record remains clean despite years of scrutiny. In his speech from the event, he leaned into the microphone and pointed out how investigators have failed to produce real evidence against him.
“If I had done any corrupt deal for the two years I was deputy president, I would be imprisoned today,” he stated plainly.
Observers in Nairobi note that these public spats reflect deeper divisions in Kenyan politics. The impeachment of Gachagua back in October 2024 centred on several claims, though courts and parliament cleared him of direct corruption charges at the time. Yet the narrative continues to shift as both men prepare for future contests.
The former deputy president painted a picture of a leader under pressure. He described Ruto turning to social media gossip and old family matters in search of leverage.
At one point, Gachagua laughed lightly while recounting how someone tried to insert a fake relative into his late brother’s succession case from years ago.
The crowd responded with chuckles and applause when he dismissed the attempt. “We did succession. We finished. Everybody got his share,” he recalled. His delivery mixed seriousness with moments of humour that kept people engaged late into the evening.
Kenya’s political scene has always carried strong personal elements, and this case is no different. Gachagua built much of his support in the central region, where family ties and local reputations matter deeply. By addressing these claims openly, he aims to reassure supporters that his hands stay clean.
As the night wound down in Swindon, conversations spilt into the hallways. Some attendees discussed the economy back home and hopes for change in 2027. Others wondered aloud whether the public back in Kenya would pay attention to these overseas messages.
Gachagua closed his remarks by repeating his willingness to confront corruption wherever it appears. He framed himself as someone who understands the system from the inside and can therefore fix it.
Whether this approach will win over voters remains to be seen, but his performance in front of the diaspora showed a politician comfortable in the spotlight.
