NAIVASHA, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has vowed to challenge President William Ruto at the ballot in the 2027 General Election, turning his political fallout with the President into a direct campaign to remove him from power.
Speaking in Naivasha on Friday, August 14, Gachagua told a political gathering that his removal from the deputy presidency had not ended his political ambitions, but instead positioned him to lead efforts to defeat Ruto at the next election.
He delivered a pointed warning to his former boss, saying the politician Ruto pushed out of government would ultimately be the one to end his presidency.
“The person you pushed out is the one who will eventually remove you from the presidency you currently hold,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua served as Ruto’s deputy from September 2022 until October 2024, when the Senate upheld his impeachment and he was removed from office. His departure marked a dramatic breakdown of the political partnership that had helped propel the Kenya Kwanza ticket to victory in the 2022 presidential election.
The former deputy president has since emerged as one of the prominent figures seeking to challenge Ruto’s administration ahead of the 2027 polls. His latest remarks underscore the increasingly confrontational nature of that political battle.
Gachagua attacks Ruto over Naivasha promises
Much of Gachagua’s address focused on what he described as unfulfilled commitments made by Ruto during the 2022 presidential campaign.
He challenged the President over a reported promise to provide piped water to every household in Naivasha if elected.
“You came here in Naivasha and promised the people of Naivasha that if you were elected, you would provide piped water to every household. Have you done it?” Gachagua asked.
He also raised the condition of the road linking Mvoni to Maella, claiming Ruto promised during the 2022 campaign that the road would be tarmacked within six months.
Gachagua used the issues to accuse the administration of failing to deliver on commitments made to residents of the area.
The former deputy president’s remarks come as political leaders increasingly use development projects and the government’s record on service delivery as campaign issues ahead of the 2027 election.
Attack on jobs and appointments
Gachagua also criticised the government over employment opportunities in Naivasha, particularly at KenGen and geothermal facilities in the area.
He alleged that the administration had favoured people from Ruto’s community in public appointments and employment.
“You have taken Kenya and made it look like it belongs to one community,” Gachagua said.
The allegation was part of a broader attack on what Gachagua portrayed as unequal distribution of government opportunities and resources.
The claims are political allegations by the former deputy president and were not independently established in his remarks.
Fallout with Ruto shapes 2027 contest
Gachagua’s political relationship with Ruto deteriorated sharply during their time in government, culminating in the former deputy president’s impeachment in October 2024.
The National Assembly impeachment motion accused Gachagua of multiple violations, including allegations relating to ethnic politics and undermining the President’s authority. The Senate subsequently upheld several charges and removed him from office.
Gachagua has since repositioned himself outside the Kenya Kwanza administration and has increasingly criticised Ruto’s government.
His latest declaration gives the emerging 2027 contest another layer of significance: the former deputy president is not merely attacking the administration’s policies but openly presenting himself as part of the political force seeking to end Ruto’s presidency.
Opposition realignment gathers pace
The 2027 election is already driving political realignments, with opposition figures exploring alliances and potential joint strategies to challenge Ruto’s re-election bid.
Gachagua’s emergence as a prominent critic of the administration adds to a crowded opposition landscape in which several senior politicians are positioning themselves for influence, party leadership or a possible presidential ticket.
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The former deputy president has previously indicated his intention to challenge Ruto in 2027, making Friday’s declaration part of a broader political strategy rather than an isolated attack.
For Ruto, the challenge is emerging from a former political ally who knows the Kenya Kwanza administration from inside and who is now seeking to turn the breakdown of their partnership into an electoral weapon.
For Gachagua, the 2027 election offers an opportunity to ask voters to judge Ruto’s presidency against the promises made during the 2022 campaign.
With more than a year remaining before Kenyans go to the polls, the political battle is already taking shape around questions of development, employment, representation, accountability and the performance of the Ruto administration.
Gachagua’s message in Naivasha was unequivocal: the man who was removed from the deputy presidency now wants to play a central role in removing Ruto from the presidency.
