President William Ruto’s senior advisor on Constitutional Affairs, Makau Mutua, has strongly criticized former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. He cautioned the public against taking Gachagua seriously following his recent advocacy for the Somali community, labeling it a disingenuous display.
In a post on his official X account on Saturday, February 7, 2026, Makau expressed his discontent with Gachagua’s actions, characterizing them as a false outcry. “No one, and I mean not a single intelligent soul, should take @rigathi seriously when he purports to now be the champion of the Somali hoi polloi,” Mutua asserted.
While condemning Gachagua, Makau urged Kenyans to remain skeptical of his intentions, calling on him to refrain from what he described as “fake crocodile tears.” “He should spare the country his fake crocodile tears. Since when did he discover that Somalis are full citizens of Kenya with ‘shares’ in the company he calls Kenya Inc.?” he questioned.
Mutua’s statements followed Gachagua’s announcement just a day earlier, in which the former Deputy President outlined his commitment to holding North Eastern leaders accountable. Taking to his official X account on Friday, February 6, 2026, Gachagua emphasized his dedication to ensuring accountability and transparency in the management of public funds allocated to the Northern Kenya counties. “Our commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency in the management of public funds allocated to the Northern Kenya counties remains unwavering,” Gachagua stated.
He further articulated the challenges faced by the people of Northern Kenya, asserting that they have long endured marginalization, often at the hands of clan elders and their elected representatives. “We are acutely aware that the people of Northern Kenya have faced marginalization and have been held hostage by the clan elders and their own elected leaders more than successive governments since independence,” Gachagua noted.
In reaffirming his commitment to the residents of Northern Kenya, Gachagua highlighted a transformative shift in leadership accountability. “The era in which leaders from Northern Kenya could hide their ineptitude and incompetencies behind Sessional Paper No. 10 of 1965 is firmly in the past. The Constitution of Kenya 2010, along with devolution, devolved funds, equalization funds, development partners’ funding, and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), has cured these issues progressively and permanently, and the genie is already out of the bottle,” he explained.
