Deputy President

His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua is the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya. He was elected Deputy President on August 9, 2022, and sworn in on September 13, 2022.

The Deputy President and H.E President William Ruto ran on a United Democratic Party (UDA) ticket, a political party in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Mr Gachagua served as Member of Parliament for Mathira Constituency, Nyeri County, between 2017 and 2022.

Work History

The Deputy President has served in government for most of his working life, starting as an administration officer shortly after completing his studies at the University of Nairobi. He was then promoted to the position of District Officer III in the then Kirinyaga District.

In 1991, Mr Gachagua was moved to the Office of the President where he served as a personal assistant to the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of Public Service.

Between 1993 and 1997, he was promoted to District Officer 1 and deployed to the then Kakamega and Laikipia districts.

In 1999, Mr Gachagua took a break from the Public Service and went into private business. As a businessman, he encouraged the youth and marginalised groups to take up entrepreneurship to empower themselves as well as create jobs and wealth.

In 2001, he returned to the Public Service as the personal assistant to Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, who was the Minister for Local Government and later Leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament. Mr Gachagua served in the position up to 2006.

In 2017, Mr Gachagua was elected Member of Parliament for Mathira Constituency. He held this position until he became Deputy President.

Policy Platform

Dr. Ruto and Mr. Gachagua campaigned on a platform of economic transformation and inclusivity, especially for the people at the bottom of the pyramid.

They won in the first round after garnering 50.4 per cent of the vote, and thus met the Constitutional threshold of 50 per cent plus one of votes cast.

Early Life

Mr Gachagua was born on February 28, 1965 at Ruguru village in Mathira, Nyeri County.

He went to Kabiru-ini Primary School and later joined Kianyaga High in Kirinyaga County for secondary education, and later successfully pursued advanced studies at the same institution.

He joined the University of Nairobi for a Bachelor of Arts degree and graduated in 1988. He is married and has two children.