25 Facts About Rigathi Gachagua

Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua was born on 28 February 1965 and is a Kenyan politician who served as the 2nd deputy president of Kenya.

Rigathi Gachagua served from 13th September 2022 until his impeachment in October 2024.

Rigathi Gachagua had previously served in various roles and positions in government, including as an Assistant secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Heritage, a personal assistant to the Head of the Public Service, a personal assistant to the then Minister for Local Government Uhuru Kenyatta, and as a District Officer.

On 8 October 2024, Rigathi Gachagua was impeached by the National Assembly on 11 separate charges.

Rigathi Gachagua filed legal challenges against the impeachment, but was rejected by the High Court.

Rigathi Gachagua was born in 1965 in Hiriga village of Nyeri County, the child of Gachagua Reriani and Martha Kirigo.

Rigathi Gachagua's parents were Mau Mau freedom fighters in Mount Kenya forest where his father serviced guns for the Mau Mau while his mother was a food and ammunition courier for the fighters.

Rigathi Gachagua is the younger brother to Nderitu Gachagua, the first governor of Nyeri County.

Rigathi Gachagua enrolled at Kabiruini Primary School from 1971 to 1977 before proceeding to Kianyaga High School for his O-levels and A-levels.

At the University of Nairobi, Rigathi Gachagua was the Nyeri District University Students Association leader as well as the chairman of the Association of Literature Students.

Between 2001 and 2006, Rigathi Gachagua worked as the Personal Assistant to Uhuru Kenyatta.

Between 2007 and 2017, Rigathi Gachagua remained behind the scenes running his businesses.

Rigathi Gachagua was elected as a member of parliament for Mathira constituency, which was earlier held by his brother Nderitu, in the 2017 election.

Rigathi Gachagua is known for his aggressive and sometimes abrasive style of politics.

In 2019, Rigathi Gachagua sponsored an amendment bill to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015.

Rigathi Gachagua argued that Kenyan firms could not fairly compete and would be run out of the market by Chinese firms that were able to get loans at less than a sixth the interest rates.

Rigathi Gachagua has a chequered past with pending court cases over alleged cases of misappropriation of government funds, money laundering and corruption.

On 28 July 2022, a Kenyan court ordered Rigathi Gachagua to reimburse KSh.

When he became Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua threatened to take action against the Judge Esther Maina who gave the orders.

In November 2022, Rigathi Gachagua faced corruption charges in a $60 million case.

On 1 October 2024, a motion to impeach Rigathi Gachagua was introduced in Parliament.

Rigathi Gachagua appeared for hearing before the National Assembly and defended himself against the allegations.

Rigathi Gachagua abruptly stormed out of the impeachment proceedings just before he could take the witness stand for cross-examination.

Rigathi Gachagua was set to be replaced as deputy president by the then Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Prof.

Rigathi Gachagua is married to Dorcas Wanjiku Rigathi Gachagua, a retired banker who is a pastor in Mathira.