Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua was born in 1965 in Hiriga village of Mathira Constituency, Nyeri County, being the eighth born child to Nashashon Gachagua Reriani and Martha Kirigo. His parents were Mau Mau freedom fighters in Mt. Kenya forest where Nashashon Gachagua Reriani was building and servicing guns for the freedom fighters. After finishing his O-level and A-level education at Kianyaga High.
h School, Gachagua later on in 1985 joined the University of Nairobi where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree; Political Science and Literature in 1988. At the University of Nairobi, Rigathi Gachagua was the Nyeri District University Students Association (NDUSA) leader as well as the chairman of The Association of Literature Students at the university.
After graduating, Gachagua was employed for a short time at Kenya’s Ministry of Home Affairs & National Heritage before he joined Administration Police Institute in 1990 where he graduated in the Administration Police Institute and was then posted at the Office of by then president Daniel Arap Moi, as a District Officer Cadet between 1991 and 1992 in Gichugu, Kirinyaga District, Cadet DO was a Junior DO who worked under the DO. 1. Main duties of Cadet DO were to learn as a student from the senior-most DO and help where needed.
Rigathi Gachagua as a D.O
Rigathi Gachagua later went on to serve as a District Officer in Kakamega, Ng’arua and Laikipia districts. Between 1999 and 2000, he joined the Kenya School of Government where he graduated with a Diploma in Advanced Public Administration. Between 2001 and 2006, Gachagua worked as the Personal Assistant to Uhuru Kenyatta where he served for a period of seven years.
In 2016 Gachagua joined politics through the Jubilee party which was a coalition under the leadership of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy Dr. William Ruto and contested for Mathira Constituency parliamentary seat and won. As a member of parliament for Mathira constituency, he has served well with a good track record.
As a jubilee party member, Rigathi Gachagua has been loyal to president Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto since he joined Jubilee party and in 2018 when president Uhuru Kenyatta started Sidelining his deputy from government activities Gachagua remained loyal to the Deputy President until 2022 when he was nominated as the designate Deputy President to Kenya Kwanza Alliance Presidential candidate William Ruto.
Rigathi Gachagua with his then-boss Uhuru Kenyatta
His loyalty and his ability to mobilize and development track record earned him the top position which he had contested against other interested UDA party leaders namely; Tharaka Nithi county Senator Kithure Kindiki, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru and Kandara MP Alice Wahome and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.
Hon. Rigathi Gachagua’s boldness and his ability to mobilize and deliver have earned him a top position in Kenya Kwanza alliance, With his nomination Rigathi has sent his opponents to the drawing board to strategize how to water down his popularity in the Mt. Kenya region but their effort is not bringing positive impact.
Rigathi Gachagua on the campaign trail with William Ruto
Currently, Rigathi is the most discussed politician in the country despite being just a deputy president in waiting. Having worked with president Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy for a long time, Rigathi is considered as a no-nonsense man who always set his eyes on the ball and nothing else.
