Rigathi Gachagua

Rigathi Gachagua is a Kenyan politician serving as the Deputy President of Kenya since September 2022, having been elected on a ticket with President William Ruto. A former District Officer in the provincial administration, he later served as a Member of Parliament for Mathira Constituency from 2017. Gachagua is a central figure in the Kenya Kwanza political alliance and his tenure has been marked by a focus on grassroots economic empowerment and significant political controversies.

Early life and education

Rigathi Gachagua was born in Nyeri County, a region within the larger Central Province. He attended Kianyaga High School for his secondary education before joining the University of Nairobi, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Literature. Following his university studies, he was recruited into the civil service, training at the Kenya School of Government to become a District Officer, a role that provided his initial grounding in public administration across various regions of the country.

Political career

Gachagua's political career began in earnest after he left the provincial administration. He first ran for the Mathira Constituency parliamentary seat in 2013 but was unsuccessful. He won the seat in the 2017 Kenyan general election as a candidate for The National Alliance party, becoming a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly. In parliament, he served on the Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security and was a vocal backbench supporter of President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration. His political alignment shifted dramatically ahead of the 2022 Kenyan general election, when he became a key architect and principal in the Kenya Kwanza coalition, ultimately being selected as William Ruto's running mate.

Deputy Presidency

Gachagua was sworn in as Deputy President of Kenya on 13 September 2022 at Kasarani Stadium following the Supreme Court's affirmation of the presidential election results. As deputy president, he chairs the National and County Government Coordinating Summit and has been a prominent advocate for the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, the flagship policy of the Ruto administration. He has frequently represented the government at major national events, including the annual Madaraka Day celebrations, and has taken a hardline stance in political discourse, often criticizing the previous Jubilee Party administration and defending government policies on matters such as agricultural subsidy programs.

Personal life

Gachagua is married to Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, who leads a church ministry and serves as the Second Lady of Kenya. The couple has children. He is a devout Christian and his family is deeply involved in church activities. Gachagua has substantial business interests, particularly in the hospitality and real estate sectors within Nyeri County and Nairobi. He is also known as a prominent patron of local sports and community development groups in his Mathira Constituency home region.

Controversies and legal issues

Gachagua's career has been accompanied by significant legal and ethical controversies. In July 2021, he was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and charged with corruption-related offenses involving alleged fraudulent acquisition of public funds from the Nyeri County government and other state agencies like the Ministry of Lands. The case, prosecuted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, involved millions of Kenyan shillings. These charges became a major issue during the 2022 election campaign, with his supporters claiming political persecution by the then-ruling Jubilee Party establishment. The case was dismissed by the Milimani Law Courts in 2023 for lack of evidence. His tenure as deputy president has also been marked by controversial public statements that have drawn rebuke from political opponents and civil society groups like the Kenya Human Rights Commission.

Category:Deputy Presidents of Kenya Category:Members of the National Assembly (Kenya)