Gachagua gets ‘Riggy G’ trademark

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addresses MCAs from five counties in the central region - Nyandarua, Kiambu, Murang'a, Kirinyaga, and Nyeri - at his Sagana residence in Nyeri County on April 21, 2023. 

Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group

In a unique case of a person accepting a nickname they did not create for themselves, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has officially applied to own the trademark for his moniker “Riggy G”.

And the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (Kipi) has accepted his application made in November last year.

Unless someone files a valid opposition, Mr Gachagua will have full rights to use the “Riggy G” in all types of printed material, clothing and headgear, entertainment events, among others.

The nickname, which started as a quirky reference by then Catholic University law student Ivy Chelimo as she shared her views on the deputy presidential debate in July last year, spread like bushfire as Kenyans tried to grasp the persona of the fairly unknown politician who had been chosen to be William Ruto’s number two.

It didn’t take long for Mr Gachagua to embrace it. He met Ms Chelimo in October, a month after his swearing in.