Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the man once a key ally of President William Ruto has continued to face an increasing backlash for a series of controversial remarks and actions.
While the emerging allegations of a plot to impeach him and possibly find President William Ruto a new successor in 2027 have been dismissed by many as hot air- every rumour has a grain of truth.
This can be traced back to his previous remarks.
A few months after the Kenya Kwanza took to power, Gachagua made a statement about political “shareholders.”
In most of his public meetings, he declared that only those who voted for the current administration should be rewarded.
He suggested that their "shares" in government should be proportionately higher than those who did not vote for him.
“This government is a company that has shares. There are owners who have the majority of shares, and those with just a few, while others do not have any. You invested in this government and you must reap. You sowed, tilled, put manure and irrigated, and now it is time to reap,” he said.
This statement was perceived as an exclusionary and divisive approach and did not sit well with many including those from Ruto’s camp and other key stakeholders.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga argued that such remarks undermined the principles of democratic inclusivity and threatened to alienate other regions.
He said that everyone pays taxes and has their share in the government.
"I want to tell Gachagua every Kenyan has shares in government. All Kenyans pay taxes. When women buy salt, sugar, soda they pay tax," he stated.
While in Nyanza, President Ruto faulted Gachagua assuring the residents that they would get development projects despite how they voted in the August 2022 elections.
"It is primitive and backward for anybody or anyone to imagine that any region of Kenya cannot get development on account of how they voted. That is not right, not correct," Ruto said.
National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro added the voice saying the shareholder narrative should be shelved.
"Stop this shareholders issue. All Kenyans are in government and all of us want to be involved in development issues. Honeymoon is over, celebrations are over," Osoro told him.
The DP’s promotion of the "one-man, one-shilling" principle has also not gone unchallenged by various leaders not only from his Mt Kenya backyard but also those on Ruto’s side.
Gachagua championed this revenue-sharing formula as a means of ensuring equal distribution of resources, but many have challenged its practicality and fairness.
They argue that this approach fails to account for regional disparities and could exacerbate existing inequalities rather than address them.
He stressed that Mt Kenya being the most populous region should receive the biggest share of the national cake.
"I love my people and I have to speak for them," he said.
“There's nothing wrong when I say that resources should be shared based on population; the most populated area should get the biggest cake."
Former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho recently warned that should Gachagua continue with the push, the Coast region will demand that no money leaves the Mombasa Port, “so that every region gets value from the assets they hold for the country”.
The growing criticism from a broad spectrum of leaders indicates a significant disconnect between Gachagua’s policies and the broader political and social realities of Kenya.
His position as the second-in-command was initially seen as a stronghold of support for Ruto, but these contentious remarks and disputes have begun to erode his standing.
Perhaps the most damaging to his political prospects are his ongoing disputes with fellow Mt. Kenya leaders as Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Kimani Ichungwa and Eric Wamumbi from Mathira.
These leaders, who are also strong allies of Ruto, have clashed with Gachagua over his alleged attempts to undermine their unity calls in the Mt. Kenya region.
Gachagua has accused Nyoro and Ichung'wah of fostering disunity, but their strong rebuttals and public support from other influential figures have further isolated him.
Speaking in Buuri in Meru on June 2, Gachagua told off those opposed to the unity calls as he insisted that the unity of the region is essential as it translates to development.
He said that a united region is better as the unity will propel leaders to work together without unnecessary fights that hinder progress.
"I'm happy that my call for unity is taking shape and I will not give up. We had counties that had issues but I'm happy that they are now working together in unity," he explained.
Ichung'wah, however, fired back saying "If you want to unite Mt. Kenya, you should do so within the Kenya Kwanza government".
He reminded him that he is a leader holding a national office and he should seek to unite all Kenyans instead of those from his community alone.
At one point, the Deputy President also lashed out at the MPs who he accused of moving from one county to another “politicking” instead of serving those who elected them.
“I urge the MPs to stay in their Constituency and serve their people. The habit of political tourism must stop. This is what is giving us trouble,” he said in Nandi on June 2.
But, in a clear show of strained relations between the two, Ruto dismissed this instead urging the legislators to continue traversing various regions as that involves their roles.
According to Ruto, this is the only way the elected leaders can enhance their oversight and legislative roles.
“You have a duty to your constituency through representations but you also have a duty to the nation because of your legislative assignment and your oversight responsibility. It is upon you to represent the people of your constituency but you also have an extra duty legislating for Kenya of providing oversight for Kenya,” he said.
“If you want to understand those two roles you cannot live in your constituency and understand those other roles, you have to get out, go to the next place, understand Kenya so that as you legislate and play oversight whether it is a project in a particular constituency you understand what it is.”
Political analysts view Gachagua's missteps as mistakes of his own making.
"He allowed himself to be occupied by his 2032 political ambitions," said Ken Busolo.