Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has declared his support for former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, praising him for remaining politically active despite losing his position in government.
Salasya said Gachagua had demonstrated political resilience by continuing to engage in national politics after his removal from office.
“My position is clear: I support Rigathi Gachagua because he has chosen to remain politically present when it would have been easier to retreat,” Salasya said.
The lawmaker argued that Gachagua’s political influence was not solely tied to the office he previously held, saying the former deputy president still commands a support base among Kenyans.
“I support him because he continues to challenge the idea that power can silence a leader or erase the people who stood behind him,” he said.
Gachagua served as Deputy President under President William Ruto before being impeached by Parliament in October 2024. He has since remained active in Kenyan politics and has increasingly criticised the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Salasya said Gachagua’s continued political presence demonstrated that leadership could extend beyond holding a formal government position.
“Gachagua is still standing, not because of an office, but because he still has a political base and a message that many Kenyans recognise,” Salasya said.
The MP further defended Gachagua’s calls for greater accountability in government, saying such demands had attracted support from Kenyans concerned about how the country is being governed.
“And as long as he continues to speak for ordinary citizens and demand that power be held to account, many of us will continue to stand with him,” Salasya said.
Salasya’s remarks come as political alignments continue to take shape ahead of the 2027 General Election, with opposition and government-allied politicians positioning themselves for the contest.
On Tuesday, Gachagua in an explosive statement criticized the Ruto administration, accusing it of mismanaging public finances, increasing Kenya’s debt burden and engaging in wasteful spending during its four years in office.
Speaking on Tuesday during an accountability address, Gachagua claimed Kenya’s public debt had increased from Sh8.6 trillion when President Ruto took office in August 2022 to Sh13.02 trillion, translating to a debt burden of about Sh221,000 for every Kenyan.
He questioned the pace of government borrowing, expenditure at State House and delays in disbursing funds to counties, arguing that the increased borrowing had not been matched by corresponding development.
His criticism has seen leaders allied to the ruling United Democratic Alliance and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) parties come out guns blazing and telling off the former DP.