Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a church service in Muranga on November 24, 2024.[POOL]
Impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has now come forward, claiming that he had warned President William Ruto against welcoming the controversial Adani Group to Kenya, alleging that the deal was “shady” and opposed by the Kenyan public.
Speaking on Sunday at the AIPCA Kangari Church in Kigumo, Murang’a, Gachagua claimed he had alerted President Ruto about the risks associated with the Adani Group’s involvement in key infrastructure projects. “I told President Ruto the Adani deal was shady and the people did not want it,” Gachagua stated.
The former Deputy President also touched on his strained relationship with the President, claiming that he was often misunderstood when he voiced his concerns. He referred to his past experience in the Senate, where he was accused of disrespecting the President for opposing certain government projects. “It was said that I was against government projects. I was taken to the Senate. Did you hear the charges that I had disrespected the President? I opposed some things,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua went on to assert that he had always considered himself the only person capable of correcting or advising the President on various matters, including those that could affect the country’s future.
On November 21, 2024, President William Ruto announced the immediate cancellation of the planned Adani Group takeover of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) expansion and the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) deals. This decision followed new evidence from local investigative agencies and information from partner countries linking the Indian conglomerate to corruption.
In his State of the Nation address to Parliament, President Ruto stated: “I have stated in the past and now reiterate today that in the face of undisputed evidence or credible information on corruption, I will not hesitate to take decisive action.” He further directed the concerned ministries to cancel the procurement process for the JKIA expansion private-public partnership, ensuring that new partners would be onboarded promptly for the crucial projects.
Gachagua also called on the church and the public to continue speaking out whenever they see things that are not right, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in government dealings.
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