NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has formally resigned from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the ruling party led by President William Ruto, citing a profound betrayal of the party’s founding ideals and a deviation from its promised reform agenda.
In a resignation letter dated May 12, 2025, addressed to the UDA Secretary-General and shared publicly, Gachagua declared his immediate departure from the party.
He accused UDA of abandoning its commitment to economic transformation and social justice, stating that the party had become “the most dangerous political moment for the people and the Republic of Kenya” due to its “retrogressive philosophy” and unfit leadership.
Gachagua, who was impeached in October 2024 following a fallout with President Ruto, criticized the Kenya Kwanza administration for failing to deliver on key promises made during the 2022 election campaign.
He cited unfulfilled commitments in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, housing, and the digital economy. Specifically, he labeled initiatives like the Hustler Fund as inadequate, questioning their effectiveness in uplifting Kenyans economically.
“The party has exhausted and wasted a Kenyan moment to take off economically, socially, and politically,” Gachagua wrote, asserting that the administration’s actions have led to economic ruin, institutional decay, and constitutional contempt.
His resignation comes amid plans to launch a new political party later this week, signaling a potential realignment in Kenya’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Gachagua has indicated that his new party will aim to uphold the original ideals that he believes UDA has forsaken.
The UDA party has not yet issued an official response to Gachagua’s resignation.
