Ruto calls Gachagua a 'chief extortionist' as the two trade accusations over rally crowds
President William Ruto has called his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua a 'chief extortionist', alleging in Nyamira County that Gachagua extorted businesspeople and politicians while deputy president and now charges Sh50,000 for a microphone at his rallies. No evidence for the allegation was presented in the speeches reported, and Gachagua had not responded to it in the reporting read. The attack answered Gachagua's own claim — also presented without evidence in the reporting — that Ruto had set aside Sh300 million to draw crowds to his Gusii rallies.
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Key points
- Ruto, in his own words in Nyamira: Gachagua is 'the chief extortionist' and does not deserve political office.
- His specific allegation — a Sh50,000 charge to hold a microphone at Gachagua's meetings — was presented without evidence in the speeches reported.
- He was answering Gachagua's claim that he had set aside Sh300 million to draw rally crowds — also presented without evidence in the reporting.
- Gachagua had not responded to the extortionist claim in the reporting read.
What happened
The exchange came on Ruto's tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties in the Gusii region, ground both camps are contesting ahead of the 2027 election. Gachagua spoke first on Sunday, telling residents to charge for their attendance; Ruto's Nyamira speech answered him directly, by name and in kind.
The two men governed together after the 2022 election until Gachagua's impeachment; he now leads the opposition DCP, and their rallies have become a running exchange of personal accusations, of which this is the sharpest so far in the reporting read.
Both sides, in their own words
Both sides heard. Neither believed for free. Publishing a side's version is not endorsing it — the claim checks below are where verdicts live.
Side A · President William Ruto
- Gachagua is the 'chief extortionist': he was fired from work because of extortion, troubled businesspeople and his own party's candidates with extortion as deputy president, and continues through his party.
- Anyone who wants to hold a microphone at Gachagua's meetings must pay Sh50,000, and politicians give him millions — a governor 10 million, another 20 million.
Side B · Rigathi Gachagua
- Ruto set aside a budget of Sh300 million to spend on getting Gusii residents to attend his meetings, and residents should demand Sh2,000 each for attending his rally.
Independently verified
Speaking in Nyamira County on his tour of the Gusii region, President Ruto said of his former deputy: 'You are the chief extortionist. You were fired from work because of extortion. You have troubled business people with extortion. You have troubled candidates of your party with extortion.' He said Gachagua does not deserve political office and accused him of using his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) as a platform to continue. Ruto also dismissed Gachagua's claim to have made him president — 'Then he goes around everywhere saying, "I am the one who made Ruto president." I want to ask you people of Kisii, didn't you welcome me when I stood here and asked for votes?' — contrasted his seven elections with Gachagua's one term as an MP, and urged politicians to respect citizens: 'Please, my friend, respect the citizens of Kenya.' Gachagua, impeached as deputy president after falling out with Ruto, now leads the DCP and has emerged as one of the president's fiercest opponents, mounting a challenge to his re-election ahead of the 2027 general election.Not yet verified
Ruto alleged that Gachagua demands money from people seeking political and public opportunities — 'Every person who comes to you must give money. I don't know, a governor gives 10 million, another gives 20 million... even to take a microphone like this, you must pay Sh50,000.' No evidence for the extortion allegation was presented in the speeches reported, and Gachagua had not responded to this claim in the reporting read. Ruto was responding to Gachagua, who earlier on Sunday urged the Gusii community to demand Sh2,000 each for attending Ruto's rally and claimed the president had set aside a budget of Sh300 million to spend on getting residents to attend his meetings.Claim by claim
Why this label: The president's own words in the speech at Kitutu Masaba, Nyamira County, as reported by Capital FM, with City News reporting the same attack and the same 'chief extortionist' branding from his Nyamira remarks. That he said it is verified; the extortion allegation itself is in the next claim.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The allegation is Ruto's, carried as his position. City News notes expressly that Ruto has not presented any evidence of the Sh50,000 charge and that there had been no response from Gachagua at the time of writing.
On the ladder: the evidence so far sits low — early, single or social sources. We publish the claim as a claim, never as fact.
Why this label: Gachagua's claim as reported by City News; no evidence for the Sh300 million figure was presented in that reporting either. It is carried as his position, the claim Ruto was answering.
On the ladder: the evidence so far sits low — early, single or social sources. We publish the claim as a claim, never as fact.
Show all claims (2 more)
Why this label: The president's own words in the same Nyamira speech, as reported by Capital FM.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: Capital FM's account of the two men's positions; the impeachment and the 2027 challenge are the settled background both reports share.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- What the president said, verbatim, in Nyamira — including the 'chief extortionist' branding and the Sh50,000 microphone allegation.
- The claim he was answering: Gachagua's Sh300 million rally-budget allegation, made earlier on Sunday.
What we don't know yet
- Any response from Gachagua to the extortionist claim — none was in the reporting read.
- Any evidence for either side's money claim, or any investigation arising from them — none was presented or announced in the reporting read.
Why it matters
A sitting president accusing his former deputy of extortion — a crime — in a public speech is more than rally rhetoric if it is ever tested: no evidence accompanied the claim, and no investigation was announced in the reporting. For voters, the exchange is also the shape of the 2027 contest in Gusii: both camps are bidding, in public, over what a crowd is worth.
Background
Show the background timeline (4)
Ruto wins the presidential election with Gachagua as his deputy.
Gachagua, removed as deputy president after falling out with Ruto, leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) and becomes one of the president's fiercest opponents ahead of 2027.
Gachagua urges Gusii residents to demand Sh2,000 each for attending Ruto's rally, claiming a Sh300 million crowd budget.
Ruto's Nyamira speech brands Gachagua the 'chief extortionist' and alleges the Sh50,000 microphone charge.
Update history
No silent edits. Every change is written here, with its time.
- Latest
Published in Checking state — the president's words are on the record, and Gachagua's response to the extortionist claim is awaited.