Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding AI-generated images that depict President William Ruto in a coffin, urging both the President and citizens to take such depictions in stride.
Speaking at a church service in Dandora, Gachagua advised Ruto to handle the criticism with composure and not to overreact to these harmless online images.
“Let’s not make a big deal out of this. These are just pictures created by children on their phones. There’s no need to harm anyone over them,” Gachagua said.
He called for restraint, particularly regarding children who share such images online in jest.
“Hakuna haja ya kuuwa watoto ati kwa sababu wameweka picha yako kwenye jeneza. Hii si sababu ya kuwachukua au kuwaua. Mungu atakuweka mahali pako siku ikifika,” he added.
Loosely translated, the former Deputy President said, “There’s no need to harm children simply because they shared a photo of you in a coffin.
This is not a reason to abduct or kill them. God will place you where you belong when your time comes.”
Gachagua’s remarks reflect his belief that the AI-generated images—although controversial—are not worth escalating tensions or resorting to extreme actions.
He further emphasized that death is a natural part of life and that the public should not overreact to such images. “Let’s not fear death. Kifo ni kitu cha kawaida, kitakuja. Ni sehemu ya maisha,” Gachagua said.
“Death is normal; it will come. It’s a part of life,” he added.
The former Deputy President also took the opportunity to critique President Ruto’s handling of moral issues in the country, claiming that the current leadership has failed to address the rising tide of insults and offensive language in the political arena.
He pointed to controversial remarks made by Ruto’s allies, particularly MP Farah Maalim, who recently insulted citizens calling for the President’s resignation.
“Hii kuwekwa kwenye jeneza na hii matusi ya Maalim, which is worse? Si ni ya huyo Mheshimiwa?” Gachagua said, questioning which was worse: the coffin images or the offensive rhetoric from political leaders.
Loosely translated, he asked, “Which is worse, the coffin image or the insults from Maalim? Isn’t it the latter?”
Gachagua also reminded Ruto that the culture of inflammatory language in Kenyan politics was a trend that started with him, pointing to past derogatory comments Ruto made about former President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
“This culture of insults started with you, so don’t complain when the same happens to you,” Gachagua asserted.
“You told us Uhuru is a drunkard and Raila is a witch.”
As the debate continues over the AI-generated coffin images and the broader issue of public discourse, Gachagua’s comments raise important questions about how Kenya’s political leaders should respond to criticism and manage the increasingly polarized online environment.
