Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has finally addressed the public following the dramatic sacking of several Cabinet Secretaries by President William Ruto.
In his first comments since Thursday’s sweeping Cabinet purge, Gachagua welcomed the dismissals, branding the ousted officials as “arrogant.”
Accompanying President Ruto on a tree-planting exercise in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Gachagua emphasized the importance of appointing efficient and dedicated public servants to foster national growth.
“We support the move to disband the Cabinet so that you can find ministers who can work; ministers who are not arrogant,” Gachagua stated, indirectly criticizing the former Cabinet members for their political motivations.
He assured President Ruto of his unwavering support in reconstituting the government to ensure the new team prioritizes efficiency, harmony, and the interests of the Kenyan people over personal gains.
“Ours is to assure you of our support as you reconstitute your government so that you can get a team that creates efficiency, harmony and puts the people of Kenya before their interests,” he added.
Gachagua’s silence over the past 48 hours had been notable, as his social media accounts refrained from reposting President Ruto’s statement on the Cabinet’s dissolution.
This silence contrasted sharply with his usual practice of issuing prompt statements on national developments.
Notably, on June 25, Gachagua had publicly criticized the National Intelligence Service, accusing it of misleading the President.
The Cabinet reshuffle, which left Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi untouched, followed a period of sustained pressure from the youth-led Gen Z movement.
The youth activists had been particularly vocal against the Finance Bill 2024, leading to a protest in Parliament on June 25.
Despite initially pushing for the bill, President Ruto declined to sign it into law in response to the widespread opposition.
Gachagua and his allies have long criticized certain Cabinet Secretaries for their perceived arrogance, particularly in the context of regional politics in Mt Kenya.
