Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has explained how he accumulated his wealth, which has been a major talking point in recent years.
During a wide-ranging interview with Inooro TV, the second in command revealed he made his wealth through sheer grit despite having worked as a senior civil servant during the era of President Daniel arap Moi and later as a personal assistant to recently retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The DP said he has two companies that rake in millions. One deals with furniture and the other is a real estate business.
He explained that his furniture business sells chairs and tables to the government while the real estate venture builds houses for Kenyans who live abroad.
“Over the years I’ve earned trust because none of the clients has lost their money. I make their houses for a small profit,” he said.
However, he said the real estate business struggled after the government started investigating his firms, which culminated in the freezing of his Ksh200 million.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) claimed that the money was proceeds of corruption where he allegedly defrauded county governments. The High Court ordered him to forfeit the money to the State a few weeks before the General Election, but the DP appealed.
He insists that the allegations were politically-motivated and aimed at tainting his name to discourage Kenyans from electing him with President William Ruto.
“God is good we won despite the witch-hunt.”
Gachagua added that he has forgiven those who persecuted him.
“I will look for President Kenyatta because he remains my friend. I will gift him a goat to restore our friendship.”
