Rigathi Gachagua

Palace Intrigues
William Ruto, Florentino Pérez, Ibrahim Magassa

Intrigues big and small: every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

KenyaWilliam Ruto's two-pronged crusade against alcohol and drugs

Ivory CoastIvorian banker Ibrahim Magassa teams up with Real Madrid's Florentino Pérez

KenyaKikuyu Elders' particularly political New Year's Eve

Kenya
iTea steps onto Mombasa tea auction scene

The company, which has been dormant since 2016, is being pushed by the tea regulator to offer its classification solutions based on laboratory tests. The move is part of William Ruto's strategy to provide guarantees to producers from his stronghold.

Kenya
Ruto looks to bring onside rising star in west George Natembeya

The by-elections sped up the rise of the governor of Trans-Nzoia county. Seeking out new electors since the death of his ally Raila Odinga, the head of state is keen to secure the support of this opponent and is even willing to offer him a place in the front row for the forthcoming presidential campaign.

Kenya
Snubbed by business heads, Rigathi Gachagua joins forces with the rest of the opposition

The former deputy president's aggressive style has deterred business leaders in the Central region, who want to preserve their commercial empires. Some fear reprisals from the head of state, or prefer to remain loyal to his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
Ruto's opponents remain tight-lipped on Tanzanian and Ugandan comrades' detention

The Kenyan president's main opponents are preferring to keep quiet about the fate of their counterparts imprisoned in neighbouring countries, for fear of creating diplomatic tensions.

Kenya, Morocco
OCP takes upper hand over Russia in fertiliser plant project

Kenya hopes to begin work on the site in partnership with the OCP Group in 2026. Another project, backed by a Russian oligarch, whose identity has been uncovered by Africa Intelligence, is making slow progress.

Kenya
Security agencies plan on beefing up troops on the Somali border

The large number of displaced persons arriving from Somalia coupled with the Kenyan administration's difficulties in accommodating them are causing concern among security officials.

Kenya
Tea exports to Iran under threat

In the wake of a scandal surrounding sub-standard leaf imports from Kenya, Tehran is calling for a major investigation. However, a perceived lack of progress in Nairobi could derail the resumption of trade flows between the two countries.

Kenya
William Ruto criss-crosses the country in advance of crucial by-elections

The 20 or so local elections and by-elections are a full-scale test for the government, which has been plagued by demonstrations for over a year.

Kenya
Diplomatic partners concerned about future projects following Ruto's new rules

The government has asked financial backers to support its ventures. Yet the executive's cash flow issues and poor communication have raised concerns among foreign partners that there may be obstacles ahead.

Kenya
Kenya Tea Development Agency the target of politically charged investigation

One of KTDA's subsidiaries received a visit from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The shadow of William Ruto looms over the proceedings, as the private tea consortium still counts supporters of his rival Rigathi Gachagua among its ranks.

Kenya
Nairobi coffee sales go global as Trump slams Brazil

In May, Nairobi announced plans to open its coffee auctions to buyers from around the world. Tasked by William Ruto with winning over farmers ahead of his reelection bid, the agriculture cabinet secretary will try to make the project a reality in a visit to the United States.

Kenya
William Ruto overhauls public broadcaster with an eye on 2027

The Kenyan president wants to streamline and renew the teams of the public television channel and its subsidiaries to give greater visibility to his work, two years before elections.