Gachagua Responds to US-Based Gen Z Critic Over Ethnic Politics
He compared the situation to how President William Ruto allegedly turned the Mt Kenya region against former President Uhuru Kenyatta during the last election cycle.
Former Deputy President William Ruto. Photo/The Star Kenya.
By Robert Assad
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has responded to a Kenyan Gen Z woman living in the United States who urged him to adopt a more inclusive, national approach to politics, beyond the Mt Kenya region.
Speaking during a town hall meeting with the Kenyan diaspora, Gachagua rejected accusations of tribalism, claiming that the narrative was being pushed by the current government because they have no other grounds to discredit him.
He compared the situation to how President William Ruto allegedly turned the Mt Kenya region against former President Uhuru Kenyatta during the last election cycle.
Gachagua defended his political choices, pointing out that he supported Ruto, a Kalenjin, in the 2022 presidential election instead of a Kikuyu candidate.
“My daughter, Gen Z, William Ruto is a master of crafting narratives. He has done it before, and I too once believed him,” Gachagua said. “The claim that I am tribal is just one of those narratives, created because they have nothing else on me. If I were truly tribal, I would not have supported Ruto for president—he’s Kalenjin, not Kikuyu. I would have supported Mwaura, who is Kikuyu.”
He urged the young woman, identified as Valentine Wanjiru Githae, not to be swayed by such narratives. According to Gachagua, every Kenyan belongs to a community, and there is nothing shameful about acknowledging one’s roots.
“Don’t be ashamed of your identity,” he said. “Yes, we are all Kenyans, but we also come from communities that make up the fabric of this nation.”
He emphasized that he does not support negative ethnicity, and that standing with his community does not negate his commitment to national unity.
“If supporting my people means I never become president or hold any public office again, so be it,” he said.
Gachagua also highlighted his interactions with various communities across the country, saying he enjoys broad support and good working relationships.
“I’ve been warmly received across Kenya—from Ukambani, Mombasa, and Kilifi to Narok, Kajiado, Bungoma, Kakamega, and Vihiga,” he said. “The people of Kisii are waiting for me. I’m a nationalist, but I also proudly represent where I come from.”
Wanjiru, representing the youth-led 625 Movement, had earlier challenged Gachagua over rhetoric she described as divisive and counterproductive to national cohesion.
“We, the Gen Zs, are here to speak the truth,” she said. “If we don’t, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.”
While acknowledging her own Kikuyu background, Wanjiru warned that focusing on ethnic identities in leadership would only deepen tribal divisions.
“If we position ourselves based on our tribe, others will do the same, and we’ll end up stuck in the same cycle,” she said.
She also criticized Gachagua’s recent remarks in Boston, where he referred to the Kikuyu as “drivers of the Kenyan economy” due to their industrious nature. Wanjiru argued that such statements promote a sense of tribal entitlement and overlook the contributions of other communities.
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