Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has described President Ruto’s economic advisor, Moses Kuria, as one of the brightest leaders from the Mt Kenya region, crediting him for key development ideas during his stint in Cabinet.
Speaking during an interview on KTN on Monday night, Gachagua hailed Kuria’s role in conceptualizing the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs), a flagship economic initiative that aimed to spur manufacturing and value addition at the county level.
“Moses Kuria is one of our brightest leaders from the Mt Kenya region, and today he is facing problems. When he was Minister for Trade, he was the one who started the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, a brilliant idea. Since they removed him, that project is stuck,” Gachagua stated.
He faulted President William Ruto for removing Kuria from the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, adding that had he remained in office, the CAIPs would have taken off successfully.
“Kuria is a brilliant mind… had the president allowed him to stay as minister, today, those things would be working,” said the former DP, who has been increasingly critical of Ruto’s leadership.
Gachagua’s remarks come amid ongoing political tensions between the two leaders, who were once perceived as close allies in the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
In earlier interviews, Moses Kuria publicly accused Gachagua of abandoning their collective political vision and blamed him for his exit from the Cabinet.
“I was only a minister. This guy was a privileged leader, chairing Cabinet committees… I blame him solely for his own goal,” Kuria said in a Citizen TV interview in January.
Despite their differences, Kuria said he has not supported calls to impeach Gachagua, even as the ex-DP continues to chart his own political path — including plans to form a new political party.
“From my community, he was the senior-most member… 10 million people behind him. Rigathi Gachagua has said by the end of this month he is going to have his party. Other people are excited; I am not excited,” Kuria added.
