Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has asserted that the push to remove President William Ruto from power is a collective Kenyan decision, not Rigathi Gachagua’s mission as leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
In a statement on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Salasya accused Gachagua of attempting to hijack a national movement for his own political gain.
“Sending home Ruto is the responsibility of all Kenyans, a decision all Kenyans made a long time ago and not Rigathi Gachagua’s decision. Riggy should not own this responsibility because it’s not about him; it’s about the Kenyan decision they made a long time ago that Ruto has failed in his leadership,” he stated.
Further, the MP has reminded the public that Gachagua once stood shoulder to shoulder with Ruto, even during the most repressive moments, such as when the government was cracking down on peaceful anti-government protests in 2024.
“He was with this same Ruto when he could walk into the office at 5:00 am to plan how to deal with us when we were demonstrating in the streets against the cost of living,” he stated.
Miscalculated move
The MP warned that Gachagua’s attempts to align himself with the youth, especially Gen Z, were a calculated political move, not a genuine act of solidarity.
“Riggy must be told again, like the way Raila was told to go home and relax and let Kenyans deal with Ruto Omundu Khu Khumundo (person to person). He behaves as if he is the one who owns Gen Z,” he stated.
“Riggy must be told Kenyans are not stupid; they voted in Ruto with emotions, and no one is going to vote in Riggy or his group of partners with emotions so that they again start leading this country with revenge and emotion.”
Salasya further criticised Gachagua for promoting ethnic superiority narratives, saying his comments about the Kikuyu community’s economic dominance were divisive and unhelpful.
“Riggy is not a new hope but a new hate. Kenyans have even gone ahead again to accept the idea that we are all Kikuyus, but the man goes ahead to brag how Kikuyus are successful and ones driving this economy, and other communities are failures; in other words,” he added.
Calling for national healing and unity, Salasya urged Kenyans to reject any leaders, Gachagua included, who are driven by vengeance and ethnic pride.
