Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sought to soften his past criticism of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, describing their 2022 campaign clashes as “nothing personal.”
Speaking in a candid interview on KTN News on Sunday, Mr Gachagua said the fiery exchanges that marked the bitter election season were simply part of political competition.
“Campaigning was campaigning; when you are campaigning, there are no rules,” he said. “It’s rough and nothing personal, really. We were just looking for leadership. The things that were said then dropped immediately when the election was over.”
During the 2022 elections, Gachagua, then William Ruto’s running mate, launched repeated attacks on President Kenyatta after he endorsed opposition leader Raila Odinga as his preferred successor. He accused the Kenyatta family of profiting from “state capture” — a claim that fuelled months of political tension.
Now, three years later, the former deputy president, who has since fallen out with President Ruto and faces impeachment, is calling for perspective.
“Politics should never be taken personally,” he said. “It’s not a church affair or a wedding. When you’re looking for votes, you come up with all sorts of issues against your opponents. Once the elections are over, you move on.”
Gachagua pointed to Kenya’s history of shifting alliances as evidence that political feuds rarely last.
“Just like you saw with Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga — they said terrible things about each other, then worked together. Even William Ruto called Raila all sorts of names, and now they are brothers,” he said.
Political analysts note that such remarks reflect the fluid nature of Kenyan politics, where rivals often become allies as circumstances change. Still, Gachagua’s attempt to recast his past rhetoric may be read as part of his broader effort to reposition himself ahead of the 2027 general election.
For Gachagua, however, it all seems to boil down to one simple rule of the game.
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