Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s criticism of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen over his expensive wristwatch has sparked fresh debate after images surfaced showing Gachagua himself wearing high-value Rolex timepieces.

Gachagua, the leader of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), on Saturday came under scrutiny after he accused Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen of wearing an expensive watch while addressing a gathering in Kajiado County.

The former Deputy President questioned Murkomen’s choice of an expensive wristwatch, a remark that has since drawn attention to Gachagua’s own collection of luxury timepieces.

Images circulating on social media appear to show Gachagua wearing different Rolex watches during various public engagements. One of the watches has been identified in the circulating posts as a Rolex Daytona Cosmograph 40mm, with an indicated price of US$52,771, equivalent to approximately KSh6.8 million, depending on the exchange rate and the specific model and condition.

A review of photographs shared on Gachagua’s social media platforms also appears to show him wearing several different Rolex models on separate occasions.

Based on the watches displayed in the circulating images, claims have emerged online that Gachagua's Rolex collection could be worth approximately KSh50 million.

However, the KSh50 million figure has not been independently verified, and the actual value of the watches would depend on their exact models, references, materials, condition, provenance and prevailing market prices.

The development has nevertheless created an ironic twist to Gachagua’s remarks in Kajiado, with social media users questioning whether the former Deputy President's criticism of Murkomen's expensive watch could equally be applied to his own luxury watch collection.

The controversy comes amid heightened political exchanges between Gachagua and members of President William Ruto's administration, with the former Deputy President increasingly positioning himself as a critic of the government.

Gachagua's remarks on Murkomen's watch have therefore quickly shifted the conversation from the Interior CS's expensive accessory to questions surrounding the former Deputy President's own taste for luxury timepieces.

While owning an expensive watch is not, by itself, evidence of wrongdoing, the issue has become a political talking point as Kenyans debate the lifestyles of senior political leaders and the optics of displaying luxury possessions in a country where many citizens continue to face economic pressures.

The big question now being asked online: If an expensive Rolex is a problem for Murkomen, does the same standard apply to Gachagua?