Gachagua Reveals How He Intervened to Save Justin Muturi from Cabinet Ouster
Gachagua recounted a heated confrontation with President Ruto over the composition of the final list of Cabinet appointees.
From right to left: President William Ruto, DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua and Former AG Justin Muturi. Photo/courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed behind-the-scenes tensions that unfolded at State House during the formation of the second round of Cabinet appointments following the 2024 Gen-Z protests. According to Gachagua, he personally intervened to ensure that former Attorney General Justin Muturi retained his position in President William Ruto’s Cabinet.
Speaking on Friday during the launch of Muturi’s book in Nairobi, Gachagua recounted a heated confrontation with President Ruto over the composition of the final list of Cabinet appointees. He claimed that the president had summoned him and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to accompany him during the announcement of the new Cabinet members, but he refused to proceed without first reviewing the official list.
“In the first list, there was no one from Embu, and I had raised that issue. When he later called us to flank him during the final announcement, I told him I could not stand beside him without knowing what was in the list. How do we stand there to announce what we don’t know?” Gachagua told the audience, drawing laughter from the crowd.
He narrated that his insistence angered the president, who momentarily left the room, only to return visibly upset. “Ruto came back and threw the list at me,” Gachagua said. “When I checked, I noticed that JB Muturi’s name had been removed and replaced with someone said to have been recommended by Cecily Mbarire. I told him I could not be part of that decision.”
According to Gachagua, the exchange became tense, with the president accusing him of tribalism. “He told me, ‘Wewe Rigathi, hii ukabila yako itakufikisha wapi?’ But after about three minutes of silence, he said, ‘Fine, remove the other name and return JB,’” Gachagua recalled.
He added that he had warned the president that he would publicly distance himself from the Cabinet announcement if Muturi’s name was not reinstated. “I told him that if he went ahead to announce the other name, I would walk away in front of the press. That is how JB got his job back,” he said, to a round of applause from the audience.
Gachagua further remarked that his defiance during the incident contributed to his eventual fallout with President Ruto. “After that, I was thrown away, and he followed me,” he concluded.
The event, which turned into a reunion of sorts for former political allies, was attended by several opposition figures, including Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, and former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, among others.
The revelations offered rare insight into the power struggles and political maneuvering within the Kenya Kwanza administration during a period of national turbulence.
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