Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has publicly claimed responsibility for provoking President William Ruto into what he describes as a loss of presidential composure, intensifying an already heated political standoff.
Speaking during a public engagement in Mau Narok, Nakuru County, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the Democracy for the Citizens party leader framed the ongoing verbal clashes as a calculated political strategy aimed at exposing what he termed the President’s “true character.”
Addressing residents in Njoro Constituency, Gachagua used sharp and provocative language, likening President Ruto’s recent tone to that of a “cornered rat.” He asserted that sustained criticism from his camp had pushed the Head of State away from measured leadership communication into reactive and emotionally charged rhetoric.
“I have pressed him until he is crying like a rat,” Gachagua declared, arguing that his objective was to strip the presidency of what he described as a carefully maintained public image. According to him, the President’s increasing engagement in personal attacks signals a shift from institutional leadership to confrontational politics.
Gachagua further accused the President of abandoning policy-driven discourse in favor of what he described as “blogger-level” communication. He pointed to recent remarks targeting the private lives of opposition figures as evidence of a broader decline in political standards.
“He is no longer presidential,” Gachagua said, adding that the Head of State had descended into “propaganda and fitina,” a Swahili term denoting discord and divisive rhetoric.
The remarks come in direct response to President Ruto’s own fiery address earlier the same day in Cheptais, Mt. Elgon, where he launched an unusually personal attack on opposition leaders. In his speech, the President mocked their physical fitness and lifestyles, urging some to “go to the gym” while accusing others of indulging in comfort rather than engaging in national development.
In a particularly pointed jab, Ruto singled out one opposition figure—without naming him—suggesting he relied on inherited wealth and should instead focus on building a home and family responsibilities rather than criticizing the government.
The escalating exchange underscores a noticeable shift in Kenya’s political discourse, as the country inches closer to the 2027 general elections. Both camps appear to be moving away from policy-centered debate toward highly personalized confrontations, signaling a more aggressive and polarized campaign environment ahead.
