Uriri Member of Parliament Mark Nyamita has thrown his weight behind President William Ruto in the intensifying verbal sparring with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Nyamita, speaking in a televised interview on Monday morning, January 27, 2025, defended Ruto’s decision to directly address Gachagua’s recent criticisms.
According to Nyamita, ignoring Gachagua’s statements could lend them undue credibility due to the ex-deputy president’s previous role in government.
“The deputy president having left office truth be said he still has a voice and he still gets a bit of audience. If some of the things he says are unchallenged there will be some believability because he has been in government in a very senior office,” Nyamita explained.
Adding that; “So the fact that he is out does not mean anything he says people should actually ignore. Well we try to ignore as many things he says coz nowadays he seems to be talking a bit too much which is not anything new anyway for him but when he’s left office, the second highest office in the country and he goes and still speaks to other things, I don’t find it a problem for the president to put to the right picture because otherwise if left unchallenged it might be carried as truth.”
The MP further dismissed Gachagua’s critiques as inconsistent, noting that the former deputy had been a staunch advocate for the very policies he now condemns.
“The things the former deputy president is criticizing today, he was the greatest champion of them about a year ago. Immediately he stepped out of office then he’s become a fierce critic of the same – tells you that it’s ok when he is inside [the government] and it’s not ok when he is outside.”
Ruto-Gachagua rift widens
Gachagua, who was impeached in October 2024, has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the Ruto administration.
From his rural home in Wamunyoro, the former deputy has consistently leveraged social media platforms, including TikTok, to criticize the government’s track record.
On Thursday, January 24, during a TikTok live session, Gachagua accused the Ruto administration of failing to deliver tangible results more than two years into its term.
His remarks prompted a fiery response from the president who was on his Western Kenya tour.
Speaking in Bungoma and Busia counties, Ruto dismissed Gachagua as clueless and accused him of spreading divisive rhetoric.
“He (Gachagua) doesn’t understand anything about the programs of the Republic of Kenya. He doesn’t understand anything about the UHC, he has no clue about housing, he has no clue about agriculture, he has no clue about our young people,” Ruto stated.
The president further criticized his former deputy, describing him as a tribal leader and emphasizing that he was in no position to lecture his government on anything.
“Alafu anasimama pale ati anataka kutupea lecture. Wewe unatupea lecture ya ujinga utupeleke wapi? Bure Kabisa, wale watu wa chuki, wale wa migawanyiko, wale wa mitego, wale wa mashares, hawana nafasi ya kuhubiri chuki katika taifa letu la Kenya,” he stated.
Ruto also urged critics to offer constructive solutions rather than constant criticism.
“There is no community in Kenya that will be isolated, and no region will miss out on development. That is my mission, and I will not be distracted or blackmailed,” the president said, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to national unity and development.
Public opinion divided
The Ruto-Gachagua feud has polarized public opinion.
While some Kenyans see the president’s firm stance as necessary to counter misinformation, others believe the exchanges risk escalating political tensions.
Calls for restraint have come from various quarters, urging both leaders to focus on addressing pressing national challenges rather than engaging in personal attacks.
As the political drama unfolds, analysts caution that the rivalry could overshadow key governance priorities and further divide an already polarized electorate.
For now, however, both Ruto and Gachagua appear committed to their war of words, setting the stage for a politically charged year ahead.
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