By Vincent Mangeti

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua now accuses his former boss, President William Ruto, of sponsoring youths in Meru County to ensure he and his allies do not address rallies over the weekend.

Speaking at a church service in Rwarera, Meru County, alongside allies of his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), Gachagua claimed Ruto used his deputy, Kithure Kindiki, to mobilize youths to stop Gachagua's just-concluded Meru tour.

“Kindiki gave MPs Ksh.3 million to pay youths to chase us away and be hostile to us in Imenti. He also paid them to light a bonfire in Tuskys, but instead, the youth began chanting ‘one-term’,” he added, referring to the popular slogan some Kenyans have been chanting to mean President Ruto will not secure a second term in the 2027 general elections.

“They want us not to be allowed to step in Igembe; local legislators have been paid millions. The Tigania Eeast MP even bought youth machetes and arrows to disrupt our rallies.”

He claimed that the purported efforts have, however, been unsuccessful, saying “When we arrive in those places, those sponsored youths are even chanting ‘one-term’ and have no business in attacking us.”

“They are welcoming us with songs everywhere we go in Meru.”

In Gachagua’s view, no matter how much Ruto tries to disrupt his meetings, he will not succeed because he lost the support of voters in the larger vote-rich Mt Kenya region.

“Ruto is angry because he knows he has lost the Mountain. Don’t blame me, I told you ages ago that the Mountain people do not like betrayal and lies, and that is what you did to them. They cannot support you anymore,” Gachagua told the President.

“Forget this Mountain, it is gone forever. You lost them and should not include them in your 2027 game plan. I gave you good advice, but you ignored me.”

Gachagua was impeached last October after falling out with President Ruto.

On Sunday, he was flanked by allies like former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, who has also become a Ruto critic after being fired from his role in a Cabinet dissolution amid youth-led anti-government protests last June.

The former DP claimed Ruto has also tried to intimidate some members of the clergy in Meru so that they do not give him and his allies a platform during religious events.

“Some bishops of AICPA were called to the State House recently and Ruto threatened them against inviting me to church. He has become a dictator and wants to dictate who should go to which church, and now the archbishops are scared of inviting me,” Gachagua told the congregation.

“Ruto has become so desperate that he wants to control the church. It is the highest form of dictatorship,” he added.