Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has fired back at acclaimed Kikuyu gospel artiste Ngaruiya Junior over his claims that he denied him a party ticket ahead of his intended bid to contest the parliamentary seat in Subukia during the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a church service at AIPCA Kihoya in Murang’a County on Sunday, May 25, 2025, Gachagua ridiculed Ngaruiya for accusing him in front of Deputy President Kindiki and unapologetically confirmed that he did indeed deny him the ticket because he does not meet the merit or qualifications required.
“I was genuinely amused to see an artiste run to Mr Yes Sir and accuse me of refusing to offer him the DCP ticket. Yes, it is true,” he said.
Gachagua went on to explain that he had personal and political grounds for his decision, chiefly pointing to Ngaruiya’s lack of formal education as the key reason for the denial of a ticket.
According to Gachagua, the decision to bar Ngaruiya is part of a broader effort aimed at insulating the Democratic for Citizens Party (DCP) from incompetent political aspirants, as the party is committed to cultivating a leadership culture built on professionalism and credibility.
“So now, someone who only reached Standard Two is expected to be handed a DCP ticket? Who exactly is he meant to represent as a Member of Parliament? I cannot permit that to happen, especially considering the difficult situation we are in, where people are elected without proper scrutiny. No individual lacking direction will be handed a DCP ticket,” he stated.
Gachagua, who spoke sharply about the artiste’s remarks, further insisted that Mount Kenya must no longer tolerate frivolous leaders who lack direction to continue steering their destiny.
He stressed that this trend must be stopped right from the party nomination stage, long before such candidates reach the electorate, since poor leadership choices are what have led to the region being consistently sidelined in national politics.
“We must elevate the calibre of our leaders as a mountain bloc, because that is precisely where we keep losing. Ruto has surrounded himself with people who lack intellect — when he tells them the finance bill is good, they say yes, and when he says it is bad, they still say yes. One senator was even asked why he dismissed Gachagua, and he answered, ‘Because Ruto told me to.’ I was deeply amused by this young man, who happens to be an artiste, but now wants to be an MP — that cannot happen under the DCP. The quality of leadership we are seeking in DCP does not resemble that at all,” he added.
The former Mathira MP also revealed that all prospective candidates aspiring to contest under his DCP banner in the 2027 elections must be ready to undergo a stringent vetting process.
He asserted that those who already feel they lack the necessary qualifications should promptly switch allegiance to UDA and also encouraged Ngaruiya Junior to find solace in UDA because he will never be welcomed in DCP.
“We shall vet all individuals who seek our party tickets so that we can front leaders who are educated and who do not carry selfish ambitions. Let all others take their ambitions to UDA.”
Ngaruiya’s remarks
While attending a State House meeting chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Friday, May 23, 2025, Ngaruiya Junior, who had previously aligned himself with Gachagua’s political wing, announced his departure from the Gachagua-led faction and confirmed that he had now joined Kenya Kwanza.
That was when he proceeded to outline his reasons for the defection, citing chiefly that Gachagua does not appreciate artistes and that he had denied him a party ticket to vie for the MP seat in Subukia constituency.
“I left that man because he does not respect artistes. He said he would not issue certificates to artistes like Samidoh, me, and other creatives who wish to contest. He denied me the opportunity. I will be contesting in Subukia, Samidoh will run in his hometown, and Karangu may join in too. What is the point of staying with someone who refuses to support our political aspirations? Kindiki, we have seen that you respect us, and we love you too — we stand with you,” he remarked.
In addition, Ngaruiya accused Gachagua of being dishonest, claiming that he had previously misled the public by saying he had elevated him to two political positions — a narrative he now describes as a fabricated stunt designed to deceive the public and enhance his political image.
“I later discovered that at the funeral of Moses Kuria’s sister, he insulted the artistes present. He pretended to endorse me, as if I had a public office, yet the endorsement was nothing more than a political gimmick. He said I had two offices — one here and one at State House — but that was all a lie,” he concluded.
