Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged UN Secretary-General António Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron to press President William Ruto over alleged human rights violations and regional security concerns in Kenya.
Speaking on Tuesday in Nairobi during the Africa Forward Summit, Gachagua claimed President Ruto was using the gathering of international leaders to seek political legitimacy amid mounting domestic criticism.
He accused the government of political intolerance, warning that Kenya risks democratic decline ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“Mr Guterres, be informed that President William Ruto is the greatest threat to Kenyan democracy and human rights violations,” Gachagua said.
The former Deputy President also alleged Kenya had become a hub for abductions and transnational repression, citing cases involving Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, Turkish asylum seekers and Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi.
Gachagua further questioned compensation paid to French firms following the cancellation of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway project, claiming billions of shillings were irregularly drawn from the Fuel Levy Fund.
He alleged the cancelled contract, initially awarded during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, was later handed to a Chinese contractor at a higher cost despite a reduced scope.
“Mr Emmanuel Macron, you are an accomplice,” Gachagua claimed.
The remarks came as President Ruto and Macron oversaw the signing of 11 agreements worth about Ksh150 billion covering infrastructure and energy projects, including expansion works at the Port of Mombasa by French shipping giant CMA CGM.
