Deputy President Race 2022: How Rigathi Gachagua Was Chosen

When William Ruto announced Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate on May 15, 2022, most political commentators outside Mt. Kenya had the same reaction: who? The Mathira MP was not in the top tier of names being discussed. Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang'ula had already been announced as Kenya Kwanza principals. The running mate slot was understood to go to a Mt. Kenya figure — but the favorites were better-known names like Ndindi Nyoro, Kimani Ichung'wah, or even former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth.

The Selection Calculus

Ruto's running mate decision was fundamentally a math problem with political constraints:

• Constitutional requirement: The running mate must come from a different county than the presidential candidate. Ruto (Uasin Gishu) needed someone from outside the Rift Valley.
• Coalition logic: Mt. Kenya was the kingmaker region. With Uhuru Kenyatta actively campaigning against Ruto, the DP needed a running mate who could reassure Central Kenya voters that their interests would be protected.
• Loyalty test: Ruto wanted someone who owed their political rise entirely to Kenya Kwanza — not a crossover politician with independent ambitions or Uhuru-era loyalties.

Gachagua ticked all three boxes. He was a Mathira (Nyeri) MP who had been one of Ruto's earliest and most vocal Mt. Kenya supporters. He had no independent power base outside his constituency. And he was willing to play the role of aggressive surrogate — defending Ruto loudly in a region where the president was telling voters to reject him.

The Mt. Kenya Sweep

Gachagua's presence on the ticket contributed to Kenya Kwanza's commanding performance across Mt. Kenya:

• Nyeri County (Gachagua's home): Ruto won with 80.4%
• Kirinyaga: 82.1% for Ruto
• Murang'a: 78.3% for Ruto
• Kiambu: 62.1% for Ruto (the most competitive Mt. Kenya county)
• Nyandarua: 74.6% for Ruto
• Laikipia: 61.8% for Ruto

The combined Mt. Kenya vote delivered approximately 2.8 million votes for Ruto — roughly 39% of his total. Without this Mt. Kenya haul, Ruto's Rift Valley base alone would not have been sufficient to win the presidency.

Gachagua's Campaign Style

On the campaign trail, Gachagua developed a distinctive — and divisive — persona. He spoke in Mt. Kenya vernacular about being "shareholders" in a Ruto government, used the phrase "truthfully, truthfully" ("ni yakini, ni yakini") to brand Kenya Kwanza promises, and positioned himself as the protector of Kikuyu business interests.

His campaign language was blunt to the point of controversy. He referred to Kenya's political contest as a battle between "shareholders" (Mt. Kenya and Rift Valley) and "brokers" (Uhuru-allied leaders who he accused of selling out the community). This rhetoric energized the base but alarmed opponents who saw ethnic dog-whistling.

The Aftermath: From Running Mate to Impeachment

What makes Gachagua's selection particularly significant in retrospect is how quickly the relationship soured. Within two years of taking office, Gachagua was publicly clashing with Ruto and his allies. By October 2024, he was impeached by Parliament — the first sitting deputy president in Kenya's history to be removed through the impeachment process.

The charges ranged from corruption to insubordination, but the political reality was simpler: Gachagua had begun building an independent Mt. Kenya power base that threatened Ruto's coalition architecture. The "loyal subordinate" model that made him attractive as a running mate became a liability when he started acting like a principal.

Lessons for 2027 Running Mate Selection

Gachagua's arc — from obscure backbencher to deputy president to impeached outcast — offers a masterclass in the risks of running mate selection. The qualities that make someone a good campaign partner (loyalty, aggression, regional appeal) are not always the qualities that make a stable governing partnership. Every 2027 presidential candidate will study the Gachagua precedent carefully.

Want to model how different running mate selections might affect regional vote distributions? Votrack's data platform lets you simulate coalition scenarios using real ward-level data. Request a demo to explore the numbers.