Gachagua says he's 'vindicated' after Museveni fuel remarks on G-to-G deal

• Museveni said on Thursday, September 17, that a Kenyan senator had alerted him that Uganda was buying petroleum products through middlemen in Kenya.

DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua addresses Kenyans living in Spokane, Washington State, USA, on September 6, 2026. PHOTO | COURTESY

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said recent remarks by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni over Uganda’s fuel procurement arrangements have vindicated his longstanding concerns about Kenya’s Government-to-Government (G-to-G) fuel deal.

Gachagua, who has been vocal in his criticism of the arrangement, said Museveni’s revelations about Uganda buying petroleum products through middlemen in Kenya had reinforced concerns he had previously raised.

Speaking during an engagement with Kenyans living in Kansas City on Friday, September 18, 2026, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader said he had questioned the G-to-G arrangement after conducting his own due diligence.

Museveni said on Thursday, September 17, that a Kenyan senator had alerted him that Uganda was buying petroleum products through middlemen in Kenya.

He said the revelation prompted him to question the arrangement.

Gachagua said he was now being vindicated by the Ugandan president’s remarks.

“I’m told now Kenyans are saying since Ruto is saying it’s G to G, they agree. It’s G to G. It was a big scheme for William Ruto to take over the marketing of petroleum products in Kenya,” Gachagua said.

He claimed the petroleum business was lucrative because it involved billions of dollars, stating that President William Ruto went to the Middle East, identified three companies and made a deal with them before looking for a proxy company.

"He went to the Middle East and identified three companies and made a deal with them and then looked for a proxy, a company called Gulf Oil. That is the company that fronts William Ruto. So he is the one doing business,” Gachagua alleged.

He then referred to Museveni’s recent remarks, saying he was pleased that the Ugandan president had questioned the procurement arrangement.

“And I’m happy that President Museveni has realised that Uganda has been conned by William Ruto. I think he just fell short of naming his Kenyan counterpart. I think he was just being decent because of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but that sometimes vindicates me,” Gachagua said.

Museveni, however, did not publicly name President Ruto as having conned Uganda. In his remarks, the Ugandan president said a Kenyan senator had alerted him that Uganda was buying petroleum products through middlemen in Kenya.

Gachagua also addressed questions he said Kenyans had previously raised about how he could have been deceived by Ruto while serving in government.

“You know, sometimes people ask me, ‘Gachagua, you are a political scientist, and you understand Kenyan politics. How come you are conned by William Ruto? How did he deceive you?’ But I think people must sympathise with me,” he said.

He compared the situation to Museveni’s experience, describing the Ugandan president as a leader with extensive political experience.

“If he can deceive the Ugandan president, who is Gachagua from Wamunyoro? The Ugandan president is not just another president. It’s not just another president. It’s a guy who went to the bush and fought for years to become president and drove away the government that was there through armed action,” Gachagua said.

“He’s been there. I don’t know for how many years. He’s a tough guy. You can understand what metal Kaguta Museveni is made of. If William Ruto can convince Kaguta Museveni. Poor me,” he added.

Gachagua said the developments had made him feel vindicated over his previous criticism of the fuel arrangement.

“You can now appreciate why sometimes I feel vindicated. I don’t feel so bad with myself. You know, sometimes I feel very bad about the way I was conned, and people ask me how, why, and how come you did not see through this guy,” he said.