Ruto Allies in Vietnam to Buy Luxury Jets and Helicopters – Gachagua Claims

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has once again criticized President William Ruto, accusing his government of wasting public money on luxury aircraft while ordinary Kenyans are struggling with high living costs and poor markets for their farm produce.

Speaking during a church event in Kirinyaga County on Sunday, Gachagua said a special team made up of officials from the Kenya Defence Forces and the Office of the President had been sent to Vietnam to purchase two executive jets and eight helicopters for top government use.

“As we speak, President Ruto has sent a group of officers to Vietnam to buy two jets and eight helicopters. This deal will cost Kenyans more than Ksh70 billion,” Gachagua told the congregation.

The former deputy president accused the government of misusing taxpayers’ money at a time when many Kenyans are battling unemployment and high food prices. 

He said the plan to buy luxury aircraft showed that the current administration had lost touch with the struggles of ordinary citizens.

Gachagua also attacked the Social Health Authority (SHA), calling it a corrupt project meant to benefit a few powerful people. 

According to him, senior government officials, including Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, were using the health program to make illegal profits from hospital supplies.

“SHA is not about helping Kenyans. It is a scam controlled by a few individuals close to the President. They are making money from machines bought for public hospitals,” he alleged.

Turning to the agriculture sector, Gachagua said Mwea rice farmers had been abandoned by the government. He claimed their rice was rotting in stores because of cheap imported rice flooding the market.

“Our farmers have rice in stores but no one to buy it. Yet, the government has allowed the importation of five million tonnes of rice. This is betrayal,” he said.

He went further to allege that one of President Ruto’s close business partners in Eastleigh, Nairobi, was behind the importation deals, which have affected local prices and discouraged farmers.

“The people importing this rice are connected to the President’s friends in Eastleigh,” Gachagua said. “They are killing local farming.”

His remarks come just days after the reported handshake between President Ruto and Gideon Moi, a move Gachagua claims is meant to isolate him politically.