NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has criticised President William Ruto, accusing his administration of sidelining the Kalenjin region in development priorities as political tensions within the ruling coalition continue to deepen.
Speaking during an interview with Kalenjin journalists on Friday evening, Gachagua claimed that development projects had increasingly shifted to regions viewed as strategically important for the President’s re-election prospects.
The former Deputy President suggested that areas historically associated with the President’s political base had received less direct attention, raising concerns about regional equity in government programmes ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Addressing fears that his emerging opposition outfit could marginalise the Kalenjin community if it assumes power, Gachagua sought to reassure residents that political disagreements with the President would not translate into exclusion.
“Rais alipitishwa na kura ya Mlima na ya Wakalenjin…sasa nikamwuliza rais, kama tumesahau hawa Wakalenjin, walikuvumilia miaka tano, wewe umechukua kila kitu ukapelekea Nyanza, hutembelei hawa watu…ukija Kericho, Bomet, unakuja interdenomination…mbona hukuji kufungua project? Mimi nilimwuliza,” he said.
Gachagua, who now leads the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), argued that the community lacked strong advocacy within national leadership structures despite producing the sitting president.
“Hawa wakalenjin hawana mtetezi; wabunge wamenyamaza, masenator pia wamenyamaza, nani atatetea hao?,” he posed.
His remarks reflect an expanding political recalibration in Kenya, where former allies of the President are reorganising opposition networks ahead of the 2027 General Election. Analysts say such messaging is designed to preserve cross-regional alliances while criticising government policy.
Gachagua emphasised that his dispute with the President was personal and political rather than communal, attempting to distance his rhetoric from ethnic mobilisation narratives that have historically shaped Kenyan politics.
“There is no one who will discriminate against the Kalenjins. They have not wronged anyone. We have a problem with one person, whom we will remove from power when the time comes. Kalenjins are good people. They have worked and developed this country. Just because Ruto has wronged us, it doesn’t mean the whole Kalenjin community has done it,” he said.
Also Read: Rigathi Gachagua says he nearly slapped William Ruto during airport altercation
The former Deputy President also confirmed plans to tour parts of the Rift Valley before proceeding to engagements in Kisii next week, signalling continued grassroots mobilisation across regions traditionally viewed as politically influential.
Observers note that visits to counties such as Kericho and Bomet are strategically significant as opposition figures seek to test shifting loyalties within the President’s perceived strongholds.
Gachagua’s criticism comes amid broader realignments across Kenya’s political landscape, including fractures within opposition parties and debate over coalition structures.
His outreach to the Kalenjin region suggests an attempt to maintain national appeal while challenging the incumbent’s development record.
Political analysts say the framing of development equity, rather than purely electoral competition, is likely to become a central narrative as leaders position themselves for the next national contest.
