Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has made serious claims against President William Ruto, alleging that he is personally profiting from a gold business through his partnership with Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.

According to Gachagua, President Ruto invited Hemedti to Kenya in 2023 not for the benefit of the nation but for his own personal interests.

He further revealed that he was the one assigned to invite Hemedti, and after welcoming him to State House in Nairobi, he was abruptly locked out of the private meeting between Ruto and the RSF leader.

“If the meeting had anything to do with Kenya’s interests, I would have been part of it,” Gachagua stated during an interview on KTN. “But after their discussions, I was only called back to escort Hemedti to the airport. That’s when I started asking questions and discovered that they are involved in business together.”

He went on to claim that President Ruto and Hemedti are working together in the gold trade. According to him, gold is taken from Sudan, transported to Nairobi, and then shipped to Dubai for sale.

Kenya’s reputation

Gachagua strongly criticized Ruto’s leadership, arguing that his dealings with RSF—a group sanctioned by the international community—are damaging Kenya’s reputation and straining its diplomatic relations.

“This is putting Kenya in a very bad light. President Ruto must understand that he will not be in power forever. He cannot continue damaging this country’s international image just to serve his own financial interests,” Gachagua said.

“He needs to rise above personal and commercial gain and start prioritizing Kenya’s national interests.”

Gachagua also emphasized that RSF has been flagged by global organizations for committing atrocities, including genocide and the killing of children.

Furthermore, Gachagua claimed that Ruto’s close ties with RSF have already had negative consequences, as Sudan has now threatened to stop importing Kenyan tea.

He warned that Ruto’s leadership style is flawed and that his involvement in African conflicts is damaging Kenya’s standing among other nations.

Peace talks

“Kenya has handled the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) very poorly,” he alleged. “I have been told that many African presidents no longer want to participate in peace talks led by President Ruto because they believe he is conflicted. They see him as someone who puts his personal and business interests above the national interest.”

Despite the backlash, Kenya has defended its decision to host the RSF in Nairobi on February 18. During this event, RSF launched a parallel government, despite warnings that such actions could further destabilize Sudan, which has already been ravaged by war.

In recent weeks, RSF has gained significant ground in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and is now advancing towards the presidential palace.

This group also controls most of western Sudan and has intensified its campaign to seize al-Fashir, a key city in the Darfur region.

The war in Sudan first erupted in April 2023 due to disagreements over the integration of different armed forces.

Initially, these forces had worked together to overthrow former President Omar al-Bashir, but tensions escalated over power struggles.

RSF’s activities in Kenya have sparked criticism of President Ruto, with many questioning why his administration is prioritizing relationships with controversial groups instead of maintaining Kenya’s diplomatic credibility.