Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revised his earlier position, now admitting that the Kenya Kwanza government did not find completely empty coffers when it assumed office in 2022.
Speaking during an interview with media personality Oga Obinna on Friday, May 16, 2025, Gachagua acknowledged that although the country was under financial strain at the time, there were still funds available to keep government operations running.
“To a certain extent, yes, we found empty coffers, but there was enough to get the country started. There was not a surplus or abundance, but there was enough money to get the country back on its feet,” he stated.
This new position contrasts sharply with his earlier assertion during the Kenya Kwanza inauguration in September 2022, where he declared that the previous administration under President Uhuru Kenyatta had left behind “empty coffers” and a struggling economy. He had gone as far as saying they found “not even a rat” in the accounts, blaming the previous regime for fiscal mismanagement.
At the time, his comments sparked national debate and painted a grim picture of the country’s finances, suggesting the new government would be forced to start from scratch.
It remains unclear why Gachagua has shifted his stance. However, the change comes amid growing speculation about his political realignments, particularly in the Mt. Kenya region.
He recently unveiled the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), which he hopes will help him consolidate support in the region ahead of the 2027 General Election. Mt. Kenya was a key stronghold for the Kenya Kwanza coalition in 2022, despite former President Kenyatta’s influence.
