Rigathi Gachagua Snubs Kithure Kindiki Amid Succession Tensions at Nyandarua Requiem Mass

Former DP Rigathi Gachagua snubs successor Kithure Kindiki in Nyandarua, warning against 'inheritance' talk before burial traditions are met. Read the full report.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 8, 2026, 8:51 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from TUKO.co.ke

Cold Reception for Successor

Tensions within the executive branch were on full display Wednesday as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua declined to acknowledge the presence of his successor, Kithure Kindiki. The incident occurred during the requiem mass for the late Ol Kalou Member of Parliament, David Kiaraho, who recently passed away at Nairobi Hospital. While Gachagua lauded President William Ruto and the gathered mourners for attending the event to celebrate the lawmaker’s life, he pointedly ignored Kindiki during his formal address. This public snub highlights the deepening rift between the former second-in-command and the official who replaced him in the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Adherence to Regional Traditions

During his speech, Gachagua issued a stern warning to Kindiki regarding the timing of political maneuvers in the Mt. Kenya region. The DCP leader claimed that Kindiki had wronged the local community by discussing succession politics and the looming Ol Kalou by-election before the late MP had been laid to rest. According to Gachagua, residents of the region respect the dead and consider it a serious mistake to discuss inheritance or political replacement during the mourning period. He urged the Deputy President to rectify his stance, suggesting that Kindiki had backslided from the cultural values held by the constituents they both represent.

A Direct Appeal to the President

Gachagua also used the platform to address President William Ruto directly concerning the administration’s rhetoric toward the Mt. Kenya voting bloc. He expressed heartbreak over the President's recent tendencies to label regional residents as tribal during public addresses in other parts of the country. Reminding the President that the community overwhelmingly supported his 2022 candidacy despite him not being a member of the Kikuyu tribe, Gachagua pleaded for an end to what he described as abusive language. He emphasized that the region’s support was based on love and a desire for peace rather than tribal affiliation.