NAIROBI, Kenya — DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of using control of State institutions and public resources to enrich himself, making a series of unsubstantiated claims about the President’s wealth and record in office.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has intensified his criticism of President William Ruto, accusing his former boss of concentrating control over State institutions and public assets to facilitate corruption and personal enrichment.
Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Gachagua, who now leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), claimed that Ruto’s wealth had grown significantly since he assumed the presidency in 2022.
Gachagua alleged that the President had pursued greater control over constitutional commissions, State corporations, public procurement and strategic national assets as part of what he described as a broader effort to accumulate wealth.
“Over the last four years William Ruto has captured the state,” Gachagua said, alleging that the administration had centralised control of institutions and public resources.
He further claimed, without providing supporting evidence, that Ruto had become a US dollar billionaire since taking office.
“He has achieved the milestone of being certified as a US Dollar billionaire in a four-year record courtesy of looting Kenyan public coffers,” Gachagua alleged.
There is no evidence presented in his remarks to substantiate the claim that Ruto is a dollar billionaire or that his wealth was accumulated through the looting of public funds.
Gachagua makes corruption claims
Gachagua also accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of presiding over widespread corruption, claiming billions of shillings were being lost from public coffers.
He alleged that the government borrows about KSh3.5 billion every day while an additional KSh3 billion is lost through corruption.
“This government steals an average of KSh125 million per hour, KSh2 million from every minute from Kenyans,” he claimed.
Gachagua did not provide a specific audit report, investigation or other evidence during the briefing to support the figures.
He argued that the administration had failed to deliver on the promises made during the 2022 presidential campaign and accused Ruto of turning government programmes into avenues for corruption.
Affordable housing programme under attack
Gachagua singled out the government’s Affordable Housing Programme, alleging that it had been transformed into a mechanism for controlling public land and supplying construction materials.
“They promised to build 250,000 houses every year. However, four years later, Mr Ruto has fashioned this into a conduit to steal public land and be the sole supplier of construction materials,” he alleged.
The former deputy president also criticised other flagship programmes, including the Hustler Fund and the Social Health Authority (SHA), arguing that they had failed to deliver the improvements promised to Kenyans.
He accused the administration of presiding over deterioration in education, healthcare and security.
Sidian Bank claims
Gachagua also linked his allegations to Sidian Bank, claiming the institution had experienced significant growth since Ruto became its owner.
He cited figures which he said showed the bank had grown from KSh42 billion in assets and KSh30 billion in customer deposits in 2022 to KSh95 billion in value, KSh74 billion in customer deposits and KSh1.7 billion in net profit in the year ended 2025.
“Since William Ruto bought it, you can see the transformation,” Gachagua said.
However, the figures cited by Gachagua require independent verification, and growth in a financial institution’s assets or deposits does not, by itself, establish that public funds were improperly channelled into the institution or that its growth benefited the President personally.
Former allies now political opponents
Gachagua’s accusations mark another escalation in the increasingly bitter political rivalry between him and Ruto.
The two were elected on the same Kenya Kwanza ticket in 2022, with Gachagua serving as deputy president before their relationship deteriorated and he was removed from office in October 2024.
Gachagua has since established the DCP and positioned himself as one of the principal challengers to Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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His latest criticism comes as political parties and alliances intensify preparations for the next presidential contest.
Gachagua said Ruto’s record in office would come under greater scrutiny as the election approaches.
He challenged the President to seek re-election on the basis of his performance rather than making another set of promises to voters.
“His track record will be put under heavy scrutiny in the run-up to the 2027 General Election,” Gachagua said.
The claims add to the increasingly confrontational political debate over Ruto’s four years in office, with the administration’s economic record, public debt, cost of living, corruption, healthcare, housing and governance likely to become central issues in the 2027 campaign.
