Kikuyu gospel singer Ngaruiya Junior, once a vocal supporter of President William Ruto, has now shifted his allegiance to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The self-proclaimed “King of Kigooco” made the move after receiving a Sh500,000 donation from Gachagua.
In addition to severing ties with Ruto, Ngaruiya has also distanced himself from Moses Kuria, Ruto’s economic advisor, following Kuria’s failure to attend Ngaruiya’s major event in Murang’a.
The singer hosted the event at Kimorori Stadium on November 10 to mark his 20 years in the music industry, but it was snubbed by Ruto allies, fuelling Ngaruiya’s growing frustration.
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Following the event, Gachagua publicly stepped in to offer Ngaruiya the Sh500,000 donation, and shortly thereafter, the musician began criticising Ruto and his administration.
Ngaruiya, who had previously boasted about his close ties to Ruto following the 2022 elections, had claimed to play a key role in Ruto’s government.
However, in August this year, he confessed that much of his public persona had been built on exaggerations.
Ngaruiya admitted that he had never held the high-ranking positions attributed to him, such as being the entertainment and music officer at State House or Harambee House.
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“There’s this perception that I’m a millionaire working in State House. The truth is, I don’t have any office and I don’t receive a monthly salary,” Ngaruiya revealed.
He explained that he only earned money from occasional emceeing gigs, often as little as Sh20,000 per event, and shared his financial struggles, stating that he was seeking more opportunities to make ends meet.
In September, Ngaruiya accused Gachagua of misleading the public by falsely presenting him as a high-ranking government official, which he claimed led to missed opportunities with political figures like Governors Kimani Wamatangi and Susan Kihika.
Now aligned with Gachagua, Ngaruiya has gone public with claims that his life is in danger, alleging that plainclothes officers in Subarus have been following him.
“My life is in danger. They are following me around in these cars,” he told a blogger.
Some critics, however, suggest that Ngaruiya may be seeking sympathy from Gachagua’s disillusioned supporters.
A government blogger who worked closely with Ngaruiya during the campaign period pointed out that the Ruto administration had provided financial assistance to the singer on multiple occasions, including helping with the burial of his mother earlier this year.
