Inside the Power Struggle: Uncovering the Rift Between Ruto and Gachagua”
The fallout between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and President William Ruto has taken a new twist, with reports of secret tape recordings being at the heart of their strained relationship. On Monday, October 21, national newspapers extensively covered Gachagua’s claims, shedding light on the events leading to his deteriorating relationship with the president. The dailies also covered President Ruto’s remarks during the Mashujaa Day celebrations, where he addressed critical issues affecting the nation.
1. Daily Nation’s Revelations of Bugging Incident
According to the Daily Nation, the relationship between Gachagua and Ruto began to sour after a covert operation involving security agents during Gachagua’s visit to Nyanza. On August 30, Gachagua checked into the Acacia Premier Hotel in Kisumu, where he held a private meeting with a Rift Valley Member of Parliament. Unbeknownst to Gachagua, his hotel room was bugged, and the entire conversation was secretly recorded.
The report revealed that the people listening in on the meeting received detailed, minute-by-minute updates on the discussion taking place in the presidential suite. The emergence of these recordings, which allegedly contained sensitive information, became the catalyst for the fallout between Gachagua and Ruto.
Following the Nyanza tour and the secret recordings, tensions between the two leaders escalated significantly. In fact, just a week later, Gachagua’s helicopter was abruptly recalled to Nairobi after landing in Kirinyaga, a clear indication of the strained relationship between the two.
2. The Standard: Ruto’s Indirect Criticism During Mashujaa Day
In its coverage, The Standard highlighted President William Ruto’s Mashujaa Day speech, where he delivered a powerful message against tribalism and exclusion. Although Ruto did not mention Gachagua by name, his remarks were widely interpreted as an indirect criticism of his former deputy.
During the speech, Ruto stressed the importance of unity and inclusivity, warning against attempts to alienate or disenfranchise any individual or group. He urged Kenyans to embrace courage and break free from the past, encouraging them to focus on building a fair and just nation.
“Our heroes did not come from one village or speak one language. They were numerous and diverse, united by a shared commitment to confront an unjust, exclusive, and oppressive system in pursuit of national liberation,” the president remarked, underscoring the value of unity and the rejection of divisive politics.
3. Taifa Leo: Gachagua Claims Assassination Attempts
Taifa Leo reported on Gachagua’s shocking claims that he had survived two assassination attempts before his impeachment. Speaking at The Karen Hospital on Sunday, October 20, Gachagua alleged that there were attempts on his life both in Kisumu and Nyeri counties.
The first incident, he claimed, occurred in Kisumu, where undercover security agents reportedly poisoned his food. “In Kisumu, security officers tried to poison my food. Undercover agents entered my room and bugged it. One of them tried to poison my food, but we detected it and escaped,” Gachagua revealed.
The second attempt, according to Gachagua, took place in Nyeri. He stated that National Intelligence Service (NIS) officers were involved in another plot to poison him and a group of Kikuyu elders. These assassination attempts, he alleged, were part of a larger scheme that culminated in his impeachment.
These developments have added more complexity to the ongoing political drama between Ruto and Gachagua, with the secret recordings and assassination claims further straining the relationship between the two. As investigations continue and the political landscape in Kenya evolves, these revelations are expected to spark widespread debate across the country.
