This is why I censured Gachagua, says Mungatana

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana filed a censure motion against DP Rigathi Gachagua before the Senate saying his conduct does not befit his office. [File, Standard]

The tribulations facing Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua seemed to increase yesterday after Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana filed a censure motion against him before the Senate saying his conduct does not befit his office.

Mungatana said Gachagua has to be called to order since the last two years that he has been the president’s principal assistant he has not lived up to the requirements, in character, of his office. 

He argues that a holder of the office of the second in command in the hierarchy of the national executive is supposed to serve as a symbol of national unity and not a regional champion of community interests. 

The Senator said since independence, the country has had many vice president’s but none has come out openly to champion the interests of a particular area like Gachagua has been doing since he assumed the DP’s office.

He claimed Gachagua has been inciting Kenyans from certain counties not to obey some lawful directives.

“ I would like to have the entire Senate discuss the conduct of the deputy president since he has let down Kenyans over the manner he has been conducting himself, which does not befit his status as the principal assistant to the president, “ said Mungatana.

The Senator said majority of the people of Kenya are greatly disappointed by Gachagua, whose activities aim at isolating a part of the country through his unfortunate utterances. He said  citizens expect him to be representative of the country.

Mungatana said the tabled censure motion is to display a strong disapproval of Gachagua’s conduct as a national leader with Senators debating his conduct according to article 147 of the constitution which states that the holder of the office of the Deputy President must at all times adhere to the constitution.

He said the question is whether Gachagua is fulfilling his constitutional mandate as the principal assistant to the president since he is expected to at all times promote the diversity of the citizens of Kenya instead of sowing seeds of discord among the people.

The Senator disputed claims that President William Ruto and his Deputy were engaging in sideshows so as to distract Kenyans from the various challenges that they are facing.

“Gachagua has simply gone overboard,” said Mungatana. 

The Senator said that the DP has decided to work against the oath of office that he took to serve the country and that the public utterances that he has been making have marginalised sections of Kenyans and continued to create tension among different ethnic communities.

“Kenyans should ask themselves whether someone elected as deputy president or deputy governor should think of themselves as alternate president or alternate governors and on whether the positions are necessary,’’ said Mungatana.

He said that the Senate will hold a decent discussion over this matter.