Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has celebrated a recent verbal exchange with President William Ruto, claiming he successfully provoked the Head of State into abandoning his presidential decorum. Speaking at a public engagement in Mau Narok, Nakuru County, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the leader of the Democracy for the Citizens party mocked the President’s recent remarks directed at opposition figures.<\/p>\n
Addressing a crowd in Njoro Constituency, Gachagua likened the President\u2019s aggressive tone to that of a “cornered rat.” He took full credit for the shift in Ruto’s communication style, suggesting that his consistent criticism of the administration has forced the President to descend to the level of social media bloggers and propaganda peddlers.<\/p>\n
“I have pressed him until he is crying like a rat,” Gachagua told the residents. He argued that his goal was to make the President lose his temper and “cool,” effectively stripping away the “presidential” aura expected of his office. According to the former Mathira MP, seeing the President engage in personal attacks and rumors is proof that his strategy of provocation is working.<\/p>\n
Gachagua expressed satisfaction that the President has moved from discussing policy to focusing on the personal lives of his rivals. He specifically pointed to Ruto\u2019s comments regarding the marital status and domestic affairs of opposition members as evidence that the Head of State is now “peddling rumors and fitina (discord).”<\/p>\n
“He is no longer presidential,” Gachagua stated, using the nickname ‘Kasongo’ to refer to the President. “He has reached the level I wanted him to be\u2014a man of propaganda.”<\/p>\n
The reaction from Gachagua follows a fiery speech by President Ruto earlier that day in Cheptais, Mt. Elgon. During his tour, the President launched a blistering attack on the united opposition, mocking their physical fitness and lifestyle choices.<\/p>\n
Ruto advised several opposition leaders to “go to the gym,” accusing them of overindulging in food and sleeping during important meetings. He further escalated the personal nature of the exchange by advising one specific politician\u2014whom he claimed survives on inheritance\u2014to focus on building a house, finding a wife, and buying diapers rather than critiquing the government.<\/p>\n
This escalating war of words marks a significant shift in the political landscape as the 2027 elections draw closer, with both sides moving away from formal policy debates toward highly personalized public confrontations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has celebrated a recent verbal exchange with President William Ruto, claiming he successfully provoked the Head of State into abandoning his presidential decorum. Speaking at a public engagement in Mau Narok, Nakuru County, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the leader of the Democracy for the Citizens party mocked the President’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6073,"featured_media":230140,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[310],"tags":[138389,138239],"class_list":["post-232930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-gachagua-news","tag-president-ruto-news"],"yoast_head":"\n