Africa-Press – Kenya. Ousted Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has pointed an accusatory finger at President William Ruto after being blocked from attending Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kwale Stadium.
Gachagua, known for his explosive comments in recent weeks, spoke on Sunday afternoon in his first press address since he was hospitalised on Thursday while in the middle of a Senate hearing on his impeachment.
The embattled outgoing DP, who was impeached by the Senate on Thursday, openly faulted Ruto on several issues, including an alleged impediment from attending the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kwale County.
“I know there was a concerted effort that I should not go to Kwale for the celebration,” Gachagua stated, adding that there were executive orders at Wilson Airport barring him from flying to the coast.
He added, “All owners of helicopters were told that I was not allowed to use any of them to go to Kwale. I don’t understand.”
Gachagua was a conspicuous absentee from the celebrations at the Kwale National Stadium in an event headlined by the Head of State and his deputy nominee Kithure Kindiki.
While Kenyans believed Gachagua’s absence was due to medical reasons, his statement outside the Karen Hospital contradicted all initial speculation. The ousted DP did not hold back in his tirade against the President, whom he accused of betraying him.
“I didn’t know President William Ruto could be so vicious,” he went on “I didn’t know a person whom I helped become President be so vicious when I am fighting for my life in hospital.”
Still DP: Gachagua also referenced the recent High Court orders which barred Kindiki from assuming the Deputy President’s office, subtly saying he was still the second in command.
Amid the withdrawal of his security detail, Gachagua, who prides himself as a self-styled ‘truthful man’, said that Ruto would be to blame if anything happened to himself or his family.
The bigger picture: President Ruto has been coy about his issues with Gachagua, consistently shunning away from speaking about the ousted DP’s woes. This has done little to stop Gachagua from openly speaking about his now-former boss, with his latest sentiments speaking volumes about a man who seemingly has nothing more to lose politically.
Gachagua further highlighted the depths of his broken relationship with Ruto by revealing he had to dismiss intelligence officers assigned to him for his own safety.
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