Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has long been one of Kenya's wealthiest politicians, but the true extent of his fortune and how he acquired it has become a source of intense public fascination and controversy.
His net worth has been estimated at anywhere from Sh5.2 billion to over Sh7 billion, with a vast portfolio spanning hospitality, real estate, and medical supplies . When he became Deputy President in September 2022, Gachagua publicly declared his net worth at Sh800 million during the presidential debate.
However, the impeachment motion moved against him in October 2024 alleged that he had inexplicably accumulated property worth Sh5.2 billion in just two years, a figure described as "incompatible with his known legitimate income of about Sh12 million per annum" .
At the heart of Gachagua's business empire are several high-profile hospitality properties. His family has been linked to the historic Treetops Hotel and Outspan Hotel in Nyeri, with the latter reportedly acquired for Sh535 million through a proxy company called Crystal Kenya Ltd, whose directors are his sons, Kevin Gachagua and Keith Ikinu . Other properties linked to him include Olive Gardens Hotel and Queens Gate Serviced Apartments in Nairobi, Vipingo Beach Resort in Kilifi, and a 40-acre property in Kamburaini, Nyeri, which he has confirmed owning, though he denies claims of a helicopter landing facility on the land . The impeachment motion also listed 22 companies associated with Gachagua, including Wamunyoro Investments Ltd, Rapid Medical Supplies, and Morani Manufacturers Limited .
He has maintained that his sons manage some of these businesses to avoid conflicts of interest while he was in office .
However, the former DP has consistently denied any wrongdoing, attributing much of the wealth cited in the allegations to his late brother, former Nyeri Governor James Nderitu Gachagua. In his defense during the impeachment proceedings, Gachagua argued that a significant number of properties belonged to his brother's estate, and he tabled a copy of the will to prove that the assets had been distributed among 23 beneficiaries .
According to the will, properties like Olive Gardens, Queensgate, and Vipingo Beach Resort were sold through private treaty to settle the estate's debts of approximately Sh1.07 billion, with the net surplus shared among the family .
This explanation, however, has been complicated by new allegations from Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi, who recently accused Gachagua of taking over rent from his late brother's Lang'ata apartments and misleading family members over property distribution . Gachagua has fired back, accusing Wamumbi of stirring discord within the family for political gain .
Regardless of the competing narratives, Gachagua remains a formidable political figure with a business empire that continues to attract scrutiny, and his repeated insistence that his wealth was acquired legally has done little to quiet the controversy surrounding his name
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