Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has drawn a chilling connection between President William Ruto’s unsettling moment in Rome — where his candle stubbornly refused to light during the burial mass of Pope Francis on Saturday, April 26, 2025 — and the blood of Gen Z protesters who were gunned down during the anti-Finance Bill protests in June 2024.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with Weru TV on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Gachagua said that while the candles of all other world leaders lit effortlessly, Ruto’s candle struggled and ultimately failed, a spiritual sign that he is burdened by a curse for the bloodshed of innocent young Kenyans.
According to Gachagua, Ruto himself gave direct orders to security forces to fire live bullets at peaceful youth protesters, and now the weight of those innocent lives lost is haunting his every step and robbing him of peace.
“William Ruto personally ordered the police to shoot and kill innocent Gen Z children, little ones whose only crime was seeking justice. The blood they shed is now tormenting him day and night. That is why he cannot sleep. You saw it yourself — he went all the way to Rome, he was handed a candle, he knelt to light it, but it refused. Anyone who played a part in spilling the blood of Gen Z will never find peace in this life,” Gachagua declared.
The former Mathira MP revealed that, even while still holding office as deputy president, he steadfastly refused to bow to brutal commands, insisting that his conscience would not allow him to endorse state violence against protesting youths — a stance he believes has spared him from the divine consequences now chasing those who obeyed.
Brushing aside claims that he is criticising Ruto only because he was ousted, Gachagua emphasised that he consistently spoke out against government wrongdoing long before his impeachment.
He pointed out that he was the only member of Cabinet who stood against the controversial Finance Bill 2024 — the very bill that ignited the Gen Z protests — warning early on that it would suffocate ordinary Kenyans and entrench more suffering among the already struggling population.
“Even while serving as deputy president, I raised my voice from inside government, not from outside. On 26th June, while in Mombasa, I condemned the killing of young Kenyans. I am the only Cabinet member who took a stand against the Finance Bill 2024, warning that it was a weapon crafted to frustrate the lives of our people. And I tell you — I will be back in government, and I will not stop speaking the truth,” he said.
Bribes
Gachagua went on to reveal that many government leaders remained silent during the Gen Z massacre not out of loyalty but because they were bought with hefty bribes — betraying the very citizens they had sworn to serve.
He disclosed that although he was approached with offers of money in exchange for his silence and obedience, he rejected them without hesitation, driven by his deep sense of duty as a parent and a leader who understands the pain of losing a child.
“You bow so low to a man that you almost kiss the floor. If I had been willing to surrender my conscience, Ruto would have given me any amount of money. But I refused. I would never sell my people for a handful of cash. No price could have bought my silence over the killing of Gen Z children. I am a parent first. Ruto and his sycophants are the ones responsible because those children were innocent. All they wanted was the truth. They demanded justice for Kenyans. Parliament had been bought, the opposition had been bought, so it fell on the children to raise their voices. I would never have accepted Ruto’s money in exchange for their lives,” Gachagua stated passionately.
Senator Kinyua’s reading
Gachagua’s interpretation of the candle incident comes a paltry few hours apart after another leader, Laikipia Senator John Kinyua, also offered his own grave reading of the same moment.
While speaking during celebrations to mark the 26th anniversary of St. Louis Igwamiti Parish in Ol Joro Orok Constituency, Nyandarua County, Senator Kinyua told the congregation on Sunday, April 27, 2025, that the failure of Ruto’s candle to light was a strong spiritual signal that his time in power is nearing its end.
“I was shocked in a way I have never been before,” Kinyua confessed, recounting how he watched the moment unfold live on television.
“I saw our president, William Ruto, attending the Vatican burial, and all the other leaders were handed candles that lit effortlessly — except for his. Not only did his candle refuse to light, but he was also politely asked to move backwards while those whose candles had lit were moved forward. That, my people, is a sign that by 2027, his candle will have been completely extinguished,” he said, sending a ripple of murmurs through the congregation.
Kinyua linked the symbolic incident at the Vatican directly to the Kenya Kwanza government’s broken promises back home, lamenting that the pledges made to the people of Laikipia — from protecting their crops against elephant invasions to stamping out robbers — have remained nothing more than empty words.
He passionately echoed the frustrations of locals who now feel abandoned, their cries for help falling on deaf ears, and warned that the government’s continuous betrayal of its citizens’ trust would cost them dearly.
“Just like Senator John Methu said, we have seen no positive outcomes from the promises made to us; elephants still trample our farms, robbers remain a menace, and every day our prayers seem to go unanswered,” Kinyua said, visibly pained.
Throwing his support behind Catholic Bishop Antony Muheria’s recent call for more action and fewer empty promises, Kinyua blasted the government for prioritising publicity over delivery, saying Kenyans were tired of being fed plans that never materialise into action.
“Today I want to support Bishop Muheria’s words: the role of a government is not to keep shouting about what it plans to do, nor to allocate funds that are never properly used, but to act decisively and deliver tangible results. If they do not change, they will not only lose our trust but also lose power,” Kinyua declared firmly.
He further praised Rigathi Gachagua for the visible progress the Mount Kenya region had witnessed during his time in power, citing battles against illicit brews, improved security, and fairer coffee prices as achievements that began fading once Gachagua’s influence was clipped.
“When Gachagua was in charge, there was real progress. He fought against illegal alcohol, boosted our security, and ensured coffee farmers got better prices. But since they pushed him out, everything has gone downhill,” Kinyua lamented.