Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has stirred political debate after calling on President William Ruto to demonstrate true leadership in the fight against corruption by reopening cases against senior political figures, beginning with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Speaking passionately before a crowd, Khalwale reminded the President that Kenyans are watching closely and expect action that cuts across political divides. He argued that no leader should be insulated from accountability simply because of political convenience or past alliances.
“When you won the election, then Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had a corruption case of Ksh 7.2 billion, but that case was halted under your administration,” Khalwale said in Swahili, drawing cheers and murmurs from the gathering. “We want that case, and others you suspended, reinstated so that the stolen money can be returned to the people and used for development.”
Khalwale’s remarks reflect growing public frustration over what many perceive as selective justice in the handling of corruption cases. He argued that President Ruto’s anti-graft crusade will only gain credibility if it targets not only low-ranking officials and business people but also those at the heart of government.
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“The government must lead by example,” he insisted. “If we are to believe in this war on corruption, then the sword must not spare the mighty. Justice cannot be a tool to punish opponents while protecting allies.”
The senator added that many corruption cases involving billions of shillings were either delayed, quietly withdrawn, or mysteriously stalled after the 2022 general election. According to him, this has undermined public trust in the Kenya Kwanza administration’s commitment to fighting graft.
Rigathi Gachagua, who served as Deputy President until the recent fallout within the ruling coalition, has long been associated with a multi-billion-shilling corruption probe. Before the 2022 election, he was facing a case involving KS 7.2 billion, linked to alleged fraudulent dealings with government agencies. However, soon after Ruto’s victory, the case was dropped under controversial circumstances, sparking speculation of political interference.
Khalwale’s renewed call to revive the matter reopens an old wound in Kenya’s fight against graft, one that resonates with a population weary of impunity.
President Ruto has repeatedly declared his government’s resolve to crush corruption, branding it as the biggest obstacle to Kenya’s economic growth. Yet, critics argue that his administration has been reluctant to pursue high-profile figures who helped him ascend to power.
By naming Gachagua, Khalwale has effectively dared Ruto to prove that his government’s anti-corruption purge will not spare even his closest allies or former lieutenants.
Analysts note that this development could mark a turning point for the Kenya Kwanza government. If Ruto moves to reopen such sensitive cases, it may strengthen his reformist credentials but risk deepening political divisions within his camp. Conversely, ignoring Khalwale’s challenge could reinforce the perception that Kenya’s anti-corruption war remains a political weapon rather than a national mission.
Across Kenya, ordinary citizens have consistently voiced frustration at the slow pace of justice in corruption cases. Billions of shillings, allegedly stolen from public coffers, remain unaccounted for while essential services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure face chronic underfunding.
For many Kenyans, Khalwale’s words echo their own sentiments: that the fight against graft must start at the top.
“Leadership is about sacrifice,” Khalwale declared. “If the President wants Kenyans to believe in his agenda, he must begin by cleaning his own house.”
The ball now lies in President Ruto’s court. Whether he chooses to act on Khalwale’s bold challenge or sidestep it, the debate has already set the stage for renewed national scrutiny of how corruption cases are handled in Kenya.
For now, Khalwale’s call is a reminder that the war on graft remains one of the most defining, and divisive, issues in Kenya’s political landscape.
