Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed tense moments that unfolded before President William Ruto announced his new Cabinet, following the disbandment of the previous one after the Gen Z anti–Finance Bill 2024 protests.
Speaking during the launch of a book authored by former Attorney General Justin Muturi titled The Fight for Order on Friday, November 7, 2025, in Nairobi, Gachagua narrated behind-the-scenes events that took place before the Cabinet announcement.
According to the former Deputy President, President Ruto had not included anyone from the Embu region in the first batch of nominees, which prompted him to question the decision.
“After the Gen Z protests, the Cabinet was dissolved, and President William Ruto was struggling with what to do , whether to bring in Raila and his people or not. We gave him space to decide without much argument. But when the first batch came out, out of all the negotiated positions from my region, he did not appoint anyone from Embu. I asked him why, and he told me, ‘Let’s wait kidogo,’” Gachagua said.
Gachagua Recalls Tense Moments Before Ruto Announced Cabinet
He further recounted that during the next round of appointments, President Ruto wanted to hastily announce the final list of Cabinet Secretaries and asked him, together with Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, to flank him during the announcement at State House, a request Gachagua declined.
“In the next appointment, the final one, he called me and Musalia so that we could flank him as he announced the last batch of Cabinet Secretaries. He was in a hurry, saying, ‘Let’s go.’ I told him, ‘Wait, what do you mean, let’s go? How do we flank you when we don’t know what you’re announcing?’”
“He told me, ‘Riggy G, acha maneno mengi. Musalia, let’s go.’ I said, ‘No, no, no, I can’t. If we are flanking you to make an announcement, we must be part of what you are announcing, as is the usual practice. I cannot flank you to announce a Cabinet when I don’t even know who you are naming. I cannot hear it for the first time with the rest of Kenyans and the press,’” Gachagua recounted.
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The former Deputy President further revealed that after his protest, President William Ruto reluctantly agreed to show him the list of Cabinet nominees he was about to announce, but did so angrily, throwing the list at him.
To his surprise, Gachagua discovered that Justin Muturi’s name had been omitted and replaced by another individual whom the President claimed had been proposed by Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, without consulting him.
“So he went and brought the list and threw it at me. I looked at it and found that JB (Muturi) had been dropped from Embu and replaced by someone else. I asked him, ‘Who is this? I don’t know him. You hadn’t consulted me. We had an agreement.’ He said, ‘Oh, that’s someone Cecily Mbarire brought.’ And I told him, ‘No, I cannot be party to that decision. The other time you appointed someone from Meru, I didn’t argue with you. Now the people of Embu are asking, who is this?’” Gachagua recounted.
How Muturi’s Name was Reinstated
Having realized that Muturi’s name had been removed, Gachagua said he demanded an explanation from the President. However, Ruto reportedly remained silent for a few moments before reacting angrily.
“He kept quiet for about three minutes. Then he threw a pen at me and told me, ‘Toa huyo mtu, weka huyo JB yako hapo! You are crazy about this JB.’ I told him, ‘Mr. President, this person is a good man. I chair the Cabinet Committee — he is a solid minister. Most of the others you’ve brought back are useless. I sit with them, and I have listened to this man. He means well for this country,” said Gachagua.
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Gachagua said President Ruto eventually told him to make the changes himself.
“He told me to take the pen, and I crossed out the name of the person who was to replace Muturi,” the former Deputy President narrated.
According to Gachagua, that’s how Justin Muturi’s name was reinstated in the Cabinet list.
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