NAIROBI, Kenya—Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto’s administration of undermining Kenya’s development agenda through what he described as corruption, excessive centralisation of State power and poor management of public resources.
Speaking during a press address on Tuesday, Gachagua said the government had failed to translate the promises made to Kenyans in 2022 into meaningful improvements in key sectors, arguing that public resources were instead being lost through corruption and what he termed State capture.
“Over the last four years William Ruto has captured the State. He has focused on centralising control of independent constitutional commissions, State entities, public sector procurement and sale of strategic national assets,” Gachagua said.
The former Deputy President also criticised the government’s development programmes, including the Affordable Housing Programme and the Hustler Fund, claiming they had failed to deliver the benefits promised to Kenyans. He further accused the administration of struggling to address challenges in education, healthcare and security.
Gachagua claimed that the government was borrowing heavily while billions of shillings were being lost through corruption. He alleged that the State borrows an average of KSh3.5 billion daily while KSh3 billion is lost through theft, translating to what he described as KSh125 million every hour.
He also questioned the growth of assets associated with Sidian Bank, claiming that its financial position had expanded significantly since 2022. Gachagua alleged that the bank had benefited from deposits by State institutions and the Nairobi County Government, linking the development to what he described as the President’s increased wealth.
Gachagua further criticised the government’s Affordable Housing Programme, accusing the administration of turning the initiative into a channel for the alleged appropriation of public land and control of construction-material supplies. He said the government had failed to meet its original promise of delivering 250,000 houses annually.
The DCP leader warned that the administration’s development record would face intense scrutiny as the country moves towards the 2027 General Election, arguing that President Ruto should seek re-election on the basis of his record rather than making new promises to voters.
