Rigathi Gachagua has set out his stall for the presidency with a promise to tackle Kenya’s rising debt and end the housing levy that has stirred controversy across the country.
Speaking a day after declaring his run for the top seat, the former Deputy President dismissed criticism that his campaign lacked a clear agenda. Instead, he said, the focus must be on repairing the nation’s battered finances.
“I will not stand before Kenyans and lie that I will build roads when the country is buried under a debt of 12 trillion shillings,” Mr Gachagua said on Sunday. “My focus is to properly restore the state of our nation.”
He pledged that his first act in office would be to abolish the housing levy introduced under President William Ruto. The funds collected, he added, would be handed over to county governments, which would then manage housing projects and refund workers whose salaries were deducted.
“On my first day in office, I will scrap the housing levy and hand over all those houses to county governments,” he said. “They will collect rent and compensate all those whose money was unfairly deducted.”
Mr Gachagua sought to cast himself in the mould of the late President Mwai Kibaki, praising his economic stewardship and humility. He contrasted this with President Ruto, accusing him of deriding his education and leadership record.
“Kibaki studied at Makerere University and the London School of Economics. Despite all that, he remained humble,” Mr Gachagua said.
He went further, issuing a blistering critique of the government’s record since 2022. He alleged that corruption, human rights violations and mismanagement had flourished under Mr Ruto’s watch.
“In three years, what have we seen? Abductions, extra-judicial killings, theft of public resources, destruction of the health and education systems, and gangs harassing women,” he said.
The President’s allies have previously defended the housing levy as a bold plan to expand affordable housing and create jobs. They argue that the deductions, though unpopular, are necessary for long-term growth.
Analysts say Mr Gachagua’s message could resonate with Kenyans weary of rising taxes and growing debt. But questions remain about how he would deliver on debt recovery without fresh revenue streams.
With the campaign season still in its early days, Mr Gachagua’s strategy is clear: present himself as the candidate of economic discipline and a break from policies that many voters see as burdensome. Whether that will be enough to sway a divided electorate remains to be seen.
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