Gachagua Reveals What He Claims Triggered Ruto’s Explosive Mombasa Outburst
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said that President William Ruto’s **pretty explosive reaction to a journalist at Mombasa State House was connected to a fumbled Mrima Hill mineral deal which had nearly come off at Kwale County.
Talking to Kenyans who live in Massachusetts in Boston on Friday 2nd of October, 2026, Gachagua claimed that Ruto had been trying to grease the wheels on a deal involving an American business partner to mine an area at Mrima Hill that’s chock-full of valuable minerals.
According to Gachagua he was brought in to iron out what he calls some procedural hiccups – things like did the public get a say and were the people of Kwale properly consulted about the proposed operation.
Gachagua Claims He Put the Kibosh on the Mrima Hill Mining Deal
Gachagua said that Ruto had wanted to partner with an American investor to get after niobium deposits at Mrima Hill.
He claimed that by stepping in and raising some questions about whether the right procedures had been followed before the deal could move forward he ended up causing Ruto a lot of grief.
“He wanted to use an American to swindle the country out of a valuable mineral called niobium from a place called the Mrima Hills. I sideways-stepped him on that one, basically blocked it. “So when he came here and was fielding questions – he got taken aback by the Americans who said to him, ‘Hang on, we’re told you’ve got a deputy there who is an honourable bloke…Has this deal you’re pushing been done fairly with the public and with the people of Kwale?’ He was stumbling around trying to come up with something, just getting increasingly flustered. What he had thought was a done deal was suddenly back on the table…so he was in a foul mood”
Gachagua points to that as the reason why he thinks Ruto later lost his temper when journalists started asking about it.
The former Deputy President though didn’t produce any documents to back up his story, so it’s hard to know whether to believe him.
Gachagua Links Ruto’s Outburst in Mombasa to the Niobium Deal
Gachagua says Ruto’s outburst in Mombasa should be put into context of the Mrima Hill fiasco.
He recalls the exchange and says Ruto got angry with a journalist who asked about his previous claims about the niobium deal.
“The other day the President went to Mombasa State House and he had a bit of a run in with a journalist – the journalist asked him, ‘Mr. President, what’s the story with this niobium deal that your ex-deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, says you’re trying to pull the wool over the eyes of? ‘ Ruto snapped. “Why are you bringing this up? Don’t even mention his name here, I’d call him utter nonsense. What a complete idiot. That sort of thing”
Gachagua said that Ruto’s reaction didn’t even touch on the substance of the complaint he’d made.
Gachagua: “Don’t Shoot the Messenger”
The former Deputy President waved off the personal attack & instead insisted that the real issue was the mineral deal – particularly the allegations surrounding it.
“We all knew what I said was true because you don’t go after the guy bringing the bad news; you deal with the bad news itself”, he said
Gachagua’s comments kept the focus away from the confrontation at State House and shifted it towards the bigger questions surrounding mineral exploration at Mrima Hill.
Gachagua Takes Aim at Ruto over Electing a President
Gachagua used Ruto’s old warning about not electing unsuitable leaders to have a go at the current govt while he was in Massachusetts addressing Kenyans.
“He said it would be a huge mistake to elect a complete idiot as President” , Gachagua added. “Kenyans are basically saying they already made that mistake so they wont be repeating it. They’re saying – we know you’re telling us dont make that mistake again, but we already have, we’ve suffered for it, and we wont make that same mistake twice. You dont even have to tell us that twice”
The comments are part of Gachagua’s ongoing criticism of Ruto as the country gets closer to a 2027 General Election.
What Is Mrima Hill Known For?
Mrima Hill is in Kwale County & has been on our radar for ages due to its mineral potential. The place is associated with deposits of niobium and rare earth elements, stuff that gets used in industries ranging from making steel to electronics and making the latest gadgets.
The potential exploitation of minerals at the site has also raised a bunch of questions about protecting the environment, community rights, land ownership and public participation.
All these issues mean that any mining development at Mrima Hill – even if its just about getting some minerals – ends up being a matter of interest for more than just a few people.
Why The Mrima Hill Mineral Deal Is Controversial
Gachagua is claiming that the right procedures werent followed before they could conclude the mining deal
Specifically, he questioned whether the public got enough chance to say their piece and for the community in Kwale to be properly consulted
However, his account is his version of events – to find out what really happened would require some independent investigation.
The controversy has put a renewed spotlight on Kenya’s mineral resources and how the government is going about luring in foreign investors to the mining sector
Gachagua’s Claims Put Mrima Hill Back In The Spotlight
Gachagua’s latest comments have tied together 3 separate issues – the alleged Mrima Hill niobium deal , Ruto getting into a scrap with a journalist in Mombasa and the wider rivalry between the President and his former deputy.
While Gachagua says the alleged mining deal explains Ruto’s reaction, his claims are still just part of a wider political dispute – just make sure to keep them separate from the facts about Mrima Hill & any real mining agreements
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Gachagua Reveals What He Claims Triggered Ruto’s Explosive Mombasa Outburst
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