MPs to Ruto: Gachagua must be sent home

President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua arrive atACK Church of Christ the King Pro-Cathedral in Nyahururu, Nyandarua County, for the consecration and enthronement of Rev Major Samson Mburu Gachathi on June 23, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is staring at what could be his worst week as a politician.

His fate is undoubtedly sealed, and lawmakers are digging in. They could begin the process of his removal tomorrow.

A section of President William Ruto's allies want him to stay out of his deputy's impeachment amid fears that the Head of State could try to save Gachagua.

The Standard has established that Ruto, who was out of the country when the impeachment calls gathered pace, is undecided on the subject and could try to dissuade his allies from the ouster bid as he did months ago.

Ruto is scheduled to oversee a parliamentary group meeting before  Gachagua's impeachment motion is tabled, with lawmakers saying they would resist plans to have them shelve the ouster bid.

National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro said the President should respect the independence of Parliament, saying the impeachment was an initiative of lawmakers.

"We respect the president, but on this one, it will take a miracle to convince the over 300MPs that demand for a National Deputy President. If he requests us otherwise, then we will request him to accept our proposal to have 40 other DPs speak for other tribes that feel left out. We advice the president to KEEP OFF on this and let MPs do their job. Gachagua MUST GO," Osoro told The Standard yesterday.

Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge shared this view, saying MPs were independent enough to make their choices.

"Impeachment is a parliamentary process and if the president could interfere in it, then President Uhuru Kenyatta would have intervened when former Governors Martin Wambora, Ferdinand Waititu and Mike Sonko were impeached. President Ruto would have also stopped (Meru) Governor Kawira Mwangaza's impeachment," said Mathenge.

"There are grounds for impeachment, including violating the Constitution. The president has no power to let anyone violate the Constitution. He has no power over the impeachment, either to initiate or stop it," Mathenge, a Gachagua critic, added.

The development comes a day after other lawmakers said there was no reverse gear in the planned impeachment.

"We think it is a foregone conclusion because the DP has asked for it. I think he is asking for it (Impeachment). At the end of the day, it will come," North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood said Saturday. 

Days ago, Murang'a Women Representative Betty Maina urged the president to keep off the impeachment debate.

"The president should stay out. He has women who will defend him... We have finished Gachagua's affairs. He will be going home 'express'," said Maina.

Sources said that MPs, mostly from Mount Kenya, wanted the impeachment done soon so that they have a fighting chance at saving their political careers. They fear Gachagua could use his current influence to popularise himself further in the Mt Kenya region and edge them out come 2027.

Yesterday four Mps from the region Kenya said after the impeachment motion sails through the president should appoint Gachagua's replacement from the region.

The Mps accused Gachagua of creating disunity in government, terming him a tribalist.

They said the ethnic card being pushed by Gachagua will alienate the region from other parts of the country   

Speaking during  service at KAG church Sagana, Kirinyaga West sub-county Kwenya Thuku Kinangop, Irene Njoki(Bahati,) Njoroge Kururia(Independent) George Kariuki (UDA) Kirinyaga said they are ready are not ready to walk out of the government and Gachagua is uncomfortable he should leave alone instead of dragging the whole region.

They, however, did own up to either supporting or opposing the motion.

They rubbished his claim that the region voted for Ruto because of him saying it was a combined effort and that the region voted for Ruto without being coerced.

The MPs supported Ruto's recent move for a broad-based government.

"We are living in a polygamous family, we have another wife (A step-mother) who has been brought in by Kenya Kwanza, if Gachagua feels threatened then he should leave the government alone.  For us as MP's we have embraced our new mum(broad-based) government for the sake of Kenyans" Said Bahati Mp 

"As Mt.Kenya leaders we are disgruntled by his lies ,he should  stop lying to Kenyans" said Kururia the independent Mp.

The Gatundu MP has however told Gachagua to call the president and sort out their issues instead of displaying their dirty linen in public.

An MP from Mt Kenya who sought anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject said that without a political position, Gachagua would struggle to sustain his forays in Central Kenya.

But some Mt Kenya MPs have taken a tactical retreat and avoided being vocal about the impeachment for fear of antagonising the masses, who are gravitating towards the deputy president. The retreat is raising fears that there are MPs who may chicken out on voting day and save the DP. 

"I have a strong admiration for Bloggers and honest people who are fighting for Riggy G Genuinely. I (have) great respect for the elected leaders who have always supported him and stayed by his side and would bite a bullet for him.(Jane kihara, Major Donk, Triza wanjiru etc). I am just embarrassed by a group of elected leaders who are praying hard for his downfall, but praising him on the mic and playing safe for their own political survival, that is being a hypocrite, insincere and selfish. (In) 2027 there are people who will be re-elected, others will lose, others will go for bigger positions but all these current political events will not be the only determining factors," Betty Maina, the Murang'a Women Rep, posted on social media on Saturday.

But Gachagua and his allies believe that the Head of State sanctioned the planned impeachment after the two fell out irreparably.

Additional reporting by Jane Mugambi