Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of paying Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi a total of Ksh20 million to merge his Amani National Congress (ANC) party with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Speaking during the launch of the Linda Mwananchi Movement headquarters in Lavington, Nairobi on Friday, October 30, 2026, Gachagua said that he was the one who negotiated the deal between Ruto and Mudavadi.

“I was the one who negotiated on behalf of Ruto and Ruto paid him Ksh20 million to buy that party,” he said.

He questioned Mudavadi’s credibility to lecture Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna over forming a political party when he had sold his own political party.

“Who is lecturing Edwin Sifuna? You sold a political party for Ksh20 million. Who are you?”

The comments were aimed at Mudavadi who had criticised Sifuna after he was criticised by Mudavadi for the Linda Mwananchi Movement to form their own political structures ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The accusations have brought back controversy around the political deal that saw ANC merge with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) led by President Ruto. On January 17, 2025 UDA and ANC announced they had merged at State House Nairobi. The ruling party absorbed ANC’s identity and leaders.

UDA chair Cecily Mbarire announced that Lamu Governor and former ANC party leader Issa Timamy would be one of the UDA’s deputy party leaders. Former ANC chair Kelvin Lunani was appointed as vice-chair and Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba as deputy secretary-general.

On March 7, 2025, the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties issued a notice stating that ANC had been voluntarily dissolved following a decision by the Special National Delegates Congress on February 7, 2025. It stated that the party had resolved to dissolve themselves in accordance with their constitution and the Political Parties Act. However, there is no evidence to show that Ksh20 million was paid.

Gachagua also accused Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula of not delivering on the political deal they supposedly struck with Ruto. He claimed that Mudavadi was to be appointed as Prime Cabinet Secretary, Wetang’ula as National Assembly Speaker and Western Kenya would get 1,000 kilometres of new tarmac roads.

“Did they deliver? Ask the people of Western Kenya,” he said.

Gachagua has in the past accused Mudavadi and Wetang’ula of benefiting from their political deal with Ruto but failing to deliver on the promises made to Western Kenya. Both leaders received prominent positions in government following the Kenya Kwanza coalition winning the 2022 elections.

Gachagua’s comments bring more tension to the increasing political spats between the government aligned leaders and emerging opposition leaders. However, there was no mention of how Mudavadi reacted to the accusation that Ksh20 million was paid. There is also no evidence to confirm that the money was actually paid.

While the merger between ANC and UDA and the dissolution of the party are documented facts, Gachagua’s accusation that he negotiated the purchase of the party for Ksh20 million is an allegation.