Rigathi Gachagua facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rigathi Gachagua
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Gachagua in 2023
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| 12th Deputy President of Kenya | |
| In office 13 September 2022 – 1 November 2024 |
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| President | William Ruto |
| Preceded by | William Ruto |
| Succeeded by | Kithure Kindiki |
| Member of the Kenyan Parliament | |
| In office 31 August 2017 – 8 September 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Peter Weru Kinyua |
| Succeeded by | Eric Wamumbi |
| Constituency | Mathira |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 February 1965 Hiriga, Nyeri District, Kenya |
| Political party | UDA |
| Other political affiliations |
Kenya Kwanza (2022–2024) |
| Spouse |
Dorcas Wanjiku
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education |
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| Occupation |
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Rigathi Gachagua, born on February 28, 1965, is a Kenyan politician. He served as the 12th Deputy President of Kenya from 2022 until October 2024. Before that, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Mathira from 2017 to 2022. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the country's law-making body.
He worked in various government roles before becoming an MP. In the 2022 election, William Ruto chose Gachagua as his running mate. They won the election with just over half of the votes. In October 2024, Gachagua was removed from his role as Deputy President.
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Rigathi Gachagua's Early Life and Education
Rigathi Gachagua was born in 1965 in Hiriga village, Nyeri County. His parents, Gachagua Reriani and Martha Kirigo, were involved in the Mau Mau fight for freedom. His father helped fix guns, and his mother delivered food and supplies to the fighters. He is the younger brother of Nderitu Gachagua, who was the first governor of Nyeri County.
He went to Kabiruini Primary School from 1971 to 1977. After that, he attended Kianyaga High School. In 1985, he joined the University of Nairobi. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Literature in 1988. While at the university, Gachagua was a student leader.
Working in Government
After finishing his degree, Gachagua worked briefly at Kenya's Ministry of Home Affairs & National Heritage. In 1990, he joined the Administration Police Institute. After graduating, he became a District Officer Cadet. A District Officer (DO) helps manage local government services in different areas.
Gachagua served as a District Officer in several places, including Kakamega Navakholo, Ng'arua, and Laikipia districts. From 1999 to 2000, he studied at the Kenya School of Government. He earned an Advanced Diploma in Public Administration. From 2001 to 2006, Gachagua worked as a personal assistant to Uhuru Kenyatta, who later became president. Between 2007 and 2017, Gachagua focused on his own businesses.
Political Career
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In the 2017 election, Gachagua was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Mathira constituency. This seat was previously held by his brother, Nderitu.
Rigathi Gachagua is known for speaking his mind. He often spoke up for the people of the Mount Kenya region. He would challenge leaders to solve problems affecting the community. William Ruto later said this was one reason he chose Gachagua as his running mate. Ruto mentioned that Gachagua is a "passionate leader" who cares about ordinary people.
In 2017, Gachagua spoke out against Keriako Tobiko, who was the Cabinet Secretary for Environment. Tobiko had ordered the destruction of water pipes in the Mt. Kenya Region. Gachagua argued that many of these pipes were legal. He said their destruction caused a water shortage for thousands of people. He even called for Tobiko to be removed from his job. The Minister of Water, Simon Chelugui, met with Gachagua and other MPs. He promised to restore water pipes that had the correct documents.
New Laws and Ideas
In 2019, Gachagua proposed a change to a law about government contracts. He wanted to help Kenyan companies compete fairly. He argued that Chinese companies could get loans with much lower interest rates. He also said that Chinese companies often imported materials duty-free.
His proposed change would have set aside government contracts under 1 billion shillings for local companies. It also suggested stronger penalties for companies that tried to get around rules about local ownership. However, this bill was not approved by the National Assembly. They said that local companies might not be able to provide all the necessary goods and services.
Becoming Deputy President
On May 15, 2022, Rigathi Gachagua was chosen as the running mate for William Ruto. Ruto was the presidential candidate for the United Democratic Alliance party. They ran together under the Kenya Kwanza political group. Other politicians were also considered for the running mate position.
During the election campaign, Gachagua made some strong statements. He publicly accused former president Jomo Kenyatta of being responsible for the death of politician Josiah Mwangi Kariuki in 1975.
Removal from Office
On October 1, 2024, a proposal to remove Gachagua from office was brought to Parliament. This happened after his relationship with President Ruto became difficult. Eleven reasons for his removal were listed, including claims of unfair treatment of different ethnic groups and disagreeing with government plans. Most Members of Parliament (291) supported the idea.
On October 8, 281 MPs voted to remove him, while 44 voted against it. This was the first time the National Assembly had voted to remove a high-ranking official under the 2010 Constitution. The decision then went to the Senate for their approval. Gachagua was in the hospital for part of these discussions.
On October 15, the High Court did not stop the removal process. The Senate then began its own review. Gachagua said he was not guilty during the Senate's review on October 16. On October 17, he went to the hospital again due to chest pains. Despite this, the Senate continued with the process. After a vote, the Senate agreed with five of the eleven reasons for his removal. This confirmed his removal from office. Kithure Kindiki was chosen to replace him. However, the High Court temporarily stopped Gachagua's removal on October 18. On October 31, the court allowed his removal to go forward.
After being removed from office, Gachagua said his security team had been taken away. He also claimed that government agents had tried to harm him. He said that President Ruto would be responsible if anything happened to him. He believed his removal was a "political game" by the president.
Personal Life
Rigathi Gachagua is married to Dorcas Wanjiku Rigathi. She used to work in banking and is now a pastor in Mathira.
They met at a university event at the University of Nairobi in 1985. They got married in 1989 and have two sons, Kevin and Keith.
Images for kids
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Gachagua in 2023
