Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is making a surprising political comeback\u2014this time, not through press conferences or rallies, but via TikTok. Since his impeachment, Gachagua has rebranded himself as a fierce government critic, gaining traction among disillusioned Kenyans. But it\u2019s his recent livestream that truly shook the internet.<\/p>\n
On June 27, 2025, Gachagua hosted a fiery TikTok Live session, blasting President William Ruto\u2019s administration while interacting with thousands of viewers. During the stream, he received 78 Lion gifts<\/strong>\u2014TikTok\u2019s premium virtual reward, each valued at $400 (KSh 51,800)<\/strong>. The total? A staggering KSh 4 million<\/strong>, though TikTok takes a 50% commission, likely leaving him with around KSh 2 million<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This makes Gachagua the first Kenyan politician to earn big money directly from TikTok gifting<\/strong>, and his windfall quickly sparked heated discussion online.<\/p>\n On X (formerly Twitter), Kenyans were split:<\/p>\n @rgc99f2byt<\/strong>: \u201cWhy are people gifting a billionaire politician? Make it make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n @air_b3nderrr<\/strong>: \u201cHe\u2019s probably gifting himself through burner accounts for attention.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n @TheDiplomat_Ke<\/strong>: \u201cThis looks like money laundering disguised as fan support.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n @juskems<\/strong>: \u201cThis reeks of wash-wash. Probably his team \u2018gifting\u2019 him to sanitise cash.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Gachagua joins a growing list of Kenyan figures who’ve tapped into TikTok\u2019s lucrative gifting system:<\/p>\n King Roso<\/strong>, an anonymous philanthropist, made headlines for sending out massive Lion gifts. In March 2024, he gifted TikToker Nyako<\/strong> 70 Lions<\/strong> on her birthday\u2014worth over KSh 1.5 million<\/strong>. Nyako, often calling Roso her \u201cmoney bag,\u201d once pleaded live, \u201cSend 10 Lions for my kids\u2019 birthdays!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Pastor Victor Kanyari<\/strong>, another controversial figure, claimed in April 2024 that he had earned over KSh 400,000<\/strong> through TikTok Live. As TikTok gifting culture grows in Kenya, questions persist. Is this genuine support, clout-chasing with fake accounts, or a clever tool for cleaning dirty money? While Gachagua\u2019s political pivot has certainly turned heads, the nature of his TikTok success is still under scrutiny.<\/p>\n What\u2019s clear, however, is that TikTok is no longer just a stage for dancers and influencers\u2014it’s now a serious financial and political tool.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is making a surprising political comeback\u2014this time, not through press conferences or rallies, but via TikTok. Since his impeachment, Gachagua has rebranded himself as a fierce government critic, gaining traction among disillusioned Kenyans. But it\u2019s his recent livestream that truly shook the internet. On June 27, 2025, Gachagua hosted a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6069,"featured_media":86204,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[310],"tags":[80259],"class_list":["post-227734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-rigathi-gachagua-news"],"yoast_head":"\nPublic Reaction: Genius Move or Shady Business?<\/h3>\n
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Not the First: Kenya\u2019s TikTok Gifting Craze<\/h3>\n
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He also donated KSh 850,000<\/strong> to the late Brian Chira\u2019s funeral and encouraged followers to help build a house for Chira\u2019s grandmother.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been gifted for free\u2014I\u2019ll donate it to a children\u2019s home,\u201d he said, before jokingly asking King Roso for five Lions: \u201cSend them so I may die!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nGifting or Laundering?<\/h3>\n