What Gachagua's public defence revealed about the government

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (centre) arrives for Impeachment hearing at the National Assembly, Nairobi, on October 8,2024. [File, Standard]

The Deputy President’s self-staged and executed public defence on the allegations listed as grounds for his impeachment brought out extremely useful details on how the Kenya Kwanza government operates that we, ordinary Kenyans, have no access to. Before I share my takeaways from the detailed presser beamed live from the Deputy President’s official residence in Karen, let me appreciate his political ingenuity to pre-empt efforts to control the narratives around which the allegations are constructed. At least, as a public, we have a better grasp of who Rigathi Gachagua, the “truthful man” is. That was a digression. Back to my takeaways.

First, the Kenya Kwanza top CEOs know how deeply corruption is rooted in the government structures and systems. The shadowy corrupt individuals siphoning public funds are known and have names. A country with so many resources is struggling to hire intern teachers, medical interns, pay fees or significantly subsidise education, among others, is watching as a few individuals are running public funds dry. It is easy to go for small fish but the unscrupulous people running down our dispensaries are protected to enjoy the loot. Abducting and beating up Morara Kebaso is a soft target and a cover-up of the real beneficiaries of the grand and systemic corruption. Listening to the Deputy President defend himself in the court of public opinion, shows that our economic problems are hatched and nurtured by powerful people in the country. This is not charitable at all.

Second, the unfortunate abductions are well known to the State. On this, the Deputy President hammered it home. It is illegal, inhuman and contrary to local and international laws to abduct people. It is not forgotten that the courts directed that arrests must be done by law enforcers who fully identify themselves. The revelation raises serious doubts on who exactly is behind the abduction, unlawful arrests and harassment of citizens whose crime is merely to demand accountability and transparency.

Third, emotions and sympathies aside, the press conference revealed how difficult it has been and will be if the President William Ruto, and the “Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya” as Gachagua severally reminded us, will continue to work together. There are differences in approach to national development such as the one-man one vote one shilling model, political party ideology including the whole concept of “shareholders” and the pragmatics of day-to-day politics such as the opposed standpoints on evictions. Although both men might retreat to their Christian beliefs and find it in their hearts to forgive each other, it is unlikely their values and principles align on the political front.

Fourth, what values guide our elected leaders? The lamentations of the Deputy President, show a government and a parliament whose values contradict the Constitution. The internal feuds within the Kenya Kwanza government and the reference of Parliament as the House of “Theatre of the absurd” which, to be fair, has lived up to this tag, for instance, by passing the publicly rejected Finance Bill 2024, shows our leaders are far removed from Chapter Six of the Constitution that calls for integrity and bringing honour to a public office. Moreover, from the very beginning of the composition of the current Parliament, there were members from Opposition parties who acted contrary to the Political Party Act by supporting a party that did not sponsor them to Parliament. Despite this blatant breaking of the law, the House has since proceeded as if there is no anomaly. How then, does one expect, Parliament to legislate laws that govern the country? For whom do the elected leaders set laws?

Fifth, not all is doom and groom. The Deputy President’s presser shows that with time, Kenyans are believing in democracy. Being under someone does not take away your right to speak your mind despite the so-called collective responsibility in cases where there are sharp differences of opinion and a way of proceeding. Long live freedom of speech.

Dr Mokua is the executive director of Loyola Centre for Media and Communication