Gachagua speaks on his little-known DJ career and breakdancing talent
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed that long before he stepped onto political podiums, he used to spin decks as a disc jockey and rule dancefloors as a breakdancer, giving Kenya’s showbiz scene a run for its money in the 1980s.
Speaking during a live interview with media personality Oga Obinna on the night of Friday, March 16, 2025, Gachagua spoke extensively about his colourful past, stating that he engaged in the deejaying business for quite some time and that it was a venture that brought in a decent amount of money.
“It was at the University of Nairobi that I became a DJ. It was both for fun and for business. I made money from it. I bought a disco system back then for around Ksh25,000, which was a substantial amount of money at the time. Today, that could be around Ksh20 million. I used to charge around Ksh1,500 to deejay for an event for one night,” he said.
Gachagua added that although his deejaying career may seem far removed from the seasoned politician he is today, it had been born out of his deep love for music.
He revealed that he had to purchase a disco system, and that was when he launched himself as a full-time deejay, as he saw no need to hire someone to operate it, given that he had spent Ksh25,000 on it — an amount he now estimates to be equivalent to around Ksh20 million.
According to the former Mathira Member of Parliament, his deejay name was ‘DJ Chagua’, a clever twist derived from his surname Gachagua, and he remained in the entertainment industry for some time as he genuinely enjoyed it.
“My entire DNA revolves around getting things right the first time. It was a lot of money, and the equipment was mine, so I thought to myself, why should I stress about employing a deejay? My DJ name was Chagua Disco, taken from the name Gachagua. I love music too,” he explained.
Breakdancing days
Furthermore, Gachagua disclosed that during that period, he was deeply immersed in the showbiz scene, and breakdancing had become another side hustle that he took up, perfected, and in which he arguably became one of the best.
He revealed that his breakdancing passion had been influenced by the global music trends of the time, particularly artistes like Michael Jackson, who were dominating the airwaves, and that breakdancing had become a stylish way of keeping up with the hits.
“That was the time when ‘Cool and the Gang’ and Michael Jackson’s Thriller were the talk of town. I used to breakdance — that was around 1984, and it was being taught. We really enjoyed it. I remember going to watch movies at Kenya Cinema and seeing breakdance scenes, and after that, we would train ourselves to dance just like that,” he said.
However, he lamented that his breakdancing journey ended tragically for some villagers who tried to copy his moves out of jealousy, noting that several of them broke their necks attempting to imitate his acrobatic flips.
He described it as a fun and fulfilling venture, but one that was also dangerous and required serious practice, even in school, to perfect.
“It was dangerous too. A few fellows broke their necks attempting the flip moves. Some crazy people from the village tried to copy us, and they ended up injuring themselves, but I have always loved music,” he said.
Further, Gachagua, who was dressed in his recently unveiled party’s Democratic Congress Party (DCP) jacket, revealed that his love for music had also made him an avid club-goer who thoroughly enjoyed disco nights.
He shared that he used to take his wife Dorcas to Club Dolce, which was the heartbeat of Nairobi nightlife at the time and is located on Koinange Street, although he is no longer able to do so as she has since become a pastor.
“I used to take her to Dolce on Koinange Street, and we would dance the night away, but now that she has become a pastor, I cannot take her anymore. There is too much alcohol and smoking in such places, so I bought a band, and we now invite people to dance at home,” he concluded.
