Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has issued a warning to President William Ruto, urging him to avoid reviving the politics of betrayal that have historically sparked acrimony in the country.

 Speaking at a church service in Thika Town, Gachagua voiced concerns about a purported plot to oust him from office, asserting that any form of betrayal would not sit well with the people of the Mt. Kenya region.

Accompanied by his political allies, including ousted UDA Party Secretary General Cleophas Malala, Gachagua cautioned against a repeat of the betrayal that defined the 2022 elections.

He reminded President Ruto that his election victory was largely due to Mt. Kenya’s rejection of former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s perceived betrayal when he backed Raila Odinga instead of his then-deputy Ruto.

"Let us not reintroduce the politics of betrayal," Gachagua stated. "Ruto is a beneficiary of Mt. Kenya's disdain for betrayal. Our people hate it and are unforgiving."

Gachagua further emphasized that Mt. Kenya voters rallied behind Ruto as a response to Kenyatta's perceived abandonment.

"When there was an attempt to betray him, our people stood firm," he said. "They supported him to show their displeasure with betrayal."

The deputy president questioned why President Ruto, who had vowed to protect his deputy from political humiliation, now seemed to allow junior officers to undermine him.

"I asked the President to keep just one promise to Kenyans that doesn’t require IMF or World Bank funding," Gachagua said. "He promised that his deputy would not be humiliated. If he doesn’t keep that promise, nobody will ever trust him to keep any promise."

Several of Gachagua’s allies also weighed in, pointing to the broad political arrangement between Kenya Kwanza and ODM as a source of internal friction. 

Cleophas Malala warned that attempting to impeach the deputy president could backfire on Ruto.

"You have a choice, Mr. President," Malala said. "Those whom you want to use to remove your deputy could end up starting your own exit from office."

Other allies, including MPs Wamuchomba and Major Dong, echoed these sentiments, expressing disbelief at the swift shift in political dynamics.

"It's only two years into leadership, and now we are talking about removing the deputy president," Wamuchomba lamented. "We hate betrayal."

As for the impeachment rumors, Gachagua advised the church to remain watchful as the political situation continues to unfold.

"Let’s see how things develop, but we have a country to run," he remarked. "Let’s be careful not to create unnecessary acrimony."

The deputy president’s remarks underscore growing tension within the Kenya Kwanza administration, as political infighting threatens to undermine the government’s unity.