By Afrireport 
What was once a tightly knit political partnership has now morphed into one of Kenya’s most dramatic political fallouts, with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua openly accusing President William Ruto of orchestrating intimidation against him.
Speaking to supporters after a chaotic encounter involving police and teargas, Gachagua claimed that his troubles are not accidental.
Instead, he argued, they are a direct response to his growing political influence and his perceived ability to challenge the President’s grip on power.
Gachagua alleged that he has repeatedly been targeted by law enforcement and unidentified groups, a situation he says exposes deep fear within the current administration.
Namuelewa vizuri sana, ananiogopa sana,” Gachagua declared, insisting that the President sees him as a serious political threat. In his most striking remarks yet, he claimed that he possesses the political formula capable of ending Ruto’s presidency.
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The former deputy president framed the confrontations as a battle between political freedom and state repression.
He accused security agencies of abandoning neutrality and instead becoming tools in a broader political contest.
According to Gachagua, the use of force is meant to intimidate not just him, but anyone daring to challenge the status quo.
His statements come at a time when political temperatures are steadily rising, with early alignments for the next election cycle beginning to take shape.
Once a key pillar of the ruling coalition, Gachagua now speaks as an outsider, using his past proximity to power to bolster his credibility and sharpen his attacks.
His claim of being “the medicine” to send Ruto home taps into a growing narrative of change and resistance within certain political circles.
Supporters argue that his treatment underscores a shrinking democratic space, while critics accuse him of weaponising victimhood for political survival.
Allies of President Ruto have previously dismissed such claims as exaggerated and politically motivated, arguing that the government has no interest in silencing lawful political activity.
Still, the optics of teargas, chaos and a former deputy president under pressure have amplified the political message far beyond the rally grounds.
Whether intended or not, the scenes have fueled debate about power, loyalty and the cost of dissent in modern Kenyan politics.
As the rivalry between Ruto and Gachagua hardens, one thing is increasingly clear the political contest is no longer behind closed doors.
It is unfolding in the open, on the streets, and in the court of public opinion with consequences that may shape the country’s political future.
