Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday, May 15, 2022, named Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate, in a bid to be Kenya’s fifth president.
The DP made the announcement after several hours of anticipations – having been earlier expected to reveal the name on Saturday.
Gachagua is now the running mate in the Kenya Kwanza coalition that brings together at least 13 political parties.
Here is a look at some of the basic things you need to know about Rigathi Gachagua;
Rigathi Gachaua Education
The Mathira MP, born in 1965, has a bachelor of arts (BA) in Political Science and Literature from the University of Nairobi.
He is also a businessman and currently doubles up as a director at Ridor Group of Companies.
Rigathi Gachaua’s past positions in government
Gachagua has an expansive experience he has gained over the years in the public sector.
He served as an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs between 1989 and 1990 during the former President Daniel Moi’s era.
Later, he was the District Officer cadet from 1990 to 1991 and Personal Assistant (PA) to the Head of Public Service between 1991 and 1993.
Rigathi Gachaua also served as a District Officer (D.O) in Kakamega District (1995-1996) and Laikipia District (1997-1999).
Between 2001 and 2006, the Mathira MP served as a Personal Assistant to President Uhuru Kenyatta who was at the time Minister for Local Government in the late President Mwai Kibaki government.
He was elected an MP for Mathira in 2017, under the Jubilee party – a position he is serving to date.
Should Kenya Kwanza succeed in their presidential bid, Gachagua will be Kenya’s second Deputy President under the 2010 constitution that renamed the position from the previous Vice President.
Rigathi Gachagua is brother to Nderitu Gachagua, the first Nyeri Governor who died in a road accident in February 2017.
