Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has disclosed that he held private night meetings with his predecessor, Rigathi Gachagua, before his impeachment.
Kindiki made the revelations on Saturday, August 15, while addressing Mount Kenya East leaders at a political event attended by Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku.
He said the meetings were held while he was serving as Interior Cabinet Secretary and were intended to advise Gachagua on his relationship with President William Ruto.
“I came to visit you many nights when I was the Interior Cabinet Secretary and told you to be loyal to the President so that in the future you could also be in his position,” he explained.
Kindiki said he repeatedly encouraged Gachagua to remain loyal to Ruto, arguing that such loyalty could eventually pave the way for him to become President.
However, he claimed Gachagua rejected his advice, telling him that he did not understand what he was saying.
“But you despised me and told me I don’t know what I was saying. Now you are making noise from the outside,” he said.
The Deputy President further claimed that he had attempted to help Gachagua avoid impeachment but warned that he would not reveal more details unless compelled to.
“Your overconfidence is what removed you from office, and I had told you. I do not want to be like you, do not push me to expose the secret of how I tried to help you,” Kindiki said.
His remarks come days after Gachagua distanced himself from Kindiki, saying he no longer regarded the Deputy President as his brother and urging him not to use the term when referring to him.
Responding to the remarks, Kindiki said Gachagua had no authority to determine how he referred to him, maintaining that he considered him a brother because of the ties between their communities.
“I want to tell you this, Mr Rigathi: it is not upon you to tell me how I should call you. It is not your business; it is mine. And I am not calling you my brother because I love you or am afraid of you.
"I call you my brother because the elders of the Kikuyu, Meru, Embu and Mbeere communities told me that we are one community. You are my brother by blood, not by choice,” he said.
Kindiki’s remarks shed new light on the political tensions that preceded Gachagua’s impeachment, coming at a time when divisions between Ruto’s allies and opposition leaders are deepening as the country heads towards the 2027 General Election.
