Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declined an invitation from the Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, to engage in a televised debate.
In a statement shared on his official social media accounts, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader described the invite as “laughable”, asserting that he can not engage with ‘President Ruto’s employees’.
Gachagua added that he was only prepared to face William Ruto in a formal Presidential debate scheduled for next year.
“I have heard an employee of William Ruto was inviting me to a debate. Laughable! I don’t debate or engage the employees of William Ruto,” Gachagua wrote on his socials.
“I am only available for one debate with the Ruto team, the Presidential Debate next year between Mr William Ruto and me. His employees should help him prepare talking notes early enough,” he added.
In a swift rejoinder CS Duale lashed out at Gachagua, saying that he is not in a position to call for a presidential debate, having been impeached and disqualified from holding public office.
“Mr Rigathi. You cannot demand a presidential debate when you have already been impeached and stripped of the very legitimacy required to contest for public office. A presidential debate is for candidates, not for individuals nursing political nostalgia,” CS Duale said.
“It is political fiction to imagine yourself on a ballot you are legally barred from appearing on,” he added.
According to the Health Cabinet Secretary, the Presidential Debate next year will be between duly qualified candidates, and will not feature those “disqualified by history, by law and by their own record.”
He slammed Gachagua, saying that while the former Deputy President claims not to debate leaders he deems lower in rank, he still issued remarks on his (Duale) previous statements. Duale further vowed to outperform Gachagua in any debate.
“You say you do not debate ’employees.’ Yet here you are, issuing statements about one. If you truly believed I was beneath you, you would not tremble at the thought of engaging me.”
Speaking during the NYOTA event in Garissa on Wednesday February 11, 2026, Duale challenged Rigathi Gachagua to appear on Jeff Koinange’s show, JKL, for a debate over development issues in the North Eastern region.
Duale stated that Gachagua has no moral authority to lecture North Eastern leaders on development, claiming that he had an opportunity in government but failed to improve the situation.
