Gachagua at war with Presidency, MPs and Judiciary

Impeached Deputy President Rigathi and his wife Dorcas Rigathi arrive at St James Cathedral, Kiambu, on October 27, 2024. [Courtesy]

In absolute symbolic hymns ‘hide me where enemies cannot find me’ and ‘trust the Lord in your journey,’ impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua sang and worshiped Sunday, amid legal battle to save his political career and reputation.

At St James Cathedral, Kiambu, Gachagua not only urged Kenyans to continue praying for President William Ruto, as he navigates through the challenges in the country but also thanked them for keeping the peace all this while.

Accompanied by about 10 MPs, embattled Gachagua led in singing, called for peace in the country and thereafter knelt at the pulpit alongside his wife Dorcas, as prayers were said for them.

Optimistic that his troubles will soon end, he urged Kenyans to remain calm whatever the outcome will be in the long run, in reference to cases currently in court over his impeachment.

In the fullness of time, he said the Mt Kenya region will chart a way forward but stated that revenge mission will not be at play.

“We ask Kenyans to remain peaceful and pray for Ruto to give him wisdom to navigate the challenges that people are going through because of economic adversities, over taxation, failing health systems. The President has a big job to do and we want to ask for prayers, for God to give him wisdom so that Kenyans can get some relief as they go about their businesses,” he said, when he addressed the congregation.

From the Presidency to Parliament and to Judiciary, battle fronts have emerged between him and these institutions, courtesy of the political process, that is impeachment.
In Turkana, the President, in a veiled attack on Gachagua, said that he made a deliberate decision to do away with politics of dividing Kenyans.

“We have no business with tribalism and people dividing Kenyans. I even formed a new Government to unite all Kenyans. We want to unite the people because in unity we have strength to drive through our challenges. In unity we can forge together and change the destiny of our nation,” said Ruto on Friday.

But in a stark contrast, Gachagua urged Kenyans to pray for Ruto, exactly a week after opening a can of worms when he made a scathing attack on the President, accusing him of being behind his tribulations.

On top of this, he made damning statements that his life and that of his family were in danger, saying two assassination attempts  were waged against him, which may have ignited a sour taste in the mouths of a majority of Kenyans.

“So, Gachagua and his family feel very exposed because these people have tried to kill us before.  They have now tried to get us out of office. I ask Ruto, my brother, I helped you to be president. Leave me alone. Leave my children alone,” he said, as he was discharged from hospital on October 20, 2024.

“Do whatever you want, but let me live. Let me look after my children. You can do whatever you want with the country, but allow me to live because I was there for you when you needed somebody to be there for you. You have paid us in kind by being so cruel and vicious against us. We are simple people,” he added.

And it did not end there. He also did not spare the National Intelligence Security (NIS), who he claimed that have also had a hand in his problems.

He linked the NIS to his assassination attempts in Kisumu and Nyeri, where he sensationally claimed that they tried to poison his food.

Gachagua was summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over assassination remarks but snubbed it and instead, he was at Milimani law courts last Monday at the start of hearings on his case.

Despite the massive losses he has had at the courts over the last three weeks in his case, Gachagua said yesterday that he still believes they will deliver justice for him.

“I’m hopeful that the courts will deliver justice to Gachagua, to all people who elected him and the country. Keep praying for me as lawyers battle it out in court. Whatever happens, keep the peace and trust in God,” he said.

Similarly, Gachagua has worked behind the clock to  contest his removal by impeachment and the entire last week was characterized by a battery of lawyers arguing out cases, which has also found his replacement, Deputy President elect, Kithure Kindiki in the middle of circumstances.

It has been a long wait for Kindiki – and may continue further - who is yet to take oath of office owing to legal battles in court.

In yet another twist, Gachagua sought recusal of the three judge bench handling his case, saying he would not get a fair hearing from them despite his initial confidence with the court process.

But Justices Anthony Mrima, Dr Fred Mugambi and Eric Ogola, rejected the application to recuse themselves.

The hearings are expected back in court tomorrow though it was not immediately clear how long they will continue.

The calls for recusal came as a contract to Gachagua’s firm stand that he would get a fair hearing from the courts, which he has been banking on for his political survival.
But the same courts have thrown out a number of petitions brought before them, a majority of which, have not favored Gachagua.

Despite the happenings, he was optimistic Sunday that the courts will grant him justice he so yearns for, amidst divergent views from politicians, some confident that his impeachment will be upheld.

Gachagua has also condemned Parliament for unfairly approving the impeachment motion, and especially the Senate, which he said denied him an opportunity to argue out his case.

At the Senate, proceedings continued as he was taken ill, which subsequently led to his impeachment.

“You remember, I presented myself to the National Assembly and defended myself. In the Senate, I was there day one and even when the Speaker asked me to sit down to listen to the charges, I decided to stand up to face my accusers. I was there the following day ready for cross-examination. The 11 counts are nothing but malice and fiction,” he insisted.

Before his impeachment process began, Gachagua lay bare the Kenya Kwanza agreement signed saying his ‘shareholders’ remarks have been used against him, yet Ruto consented to a shareholding pact in 2022.

According to Gachagua, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi negotiated their positions in return for 70 per cent votes for Ruto in the Western region.

“ANC will be allocated the position of Prime Cabinet Secretary to be established between 14 days. FORD Kenya will be allocated the position of the Speaker of the National Assembly. In accord with article 21 of the power sharing agreement, ANC and FORD Kenya would have 30 per cent share of National gov’t positions,” Gachagua said.

On Saturday, Wetang’ula was in Tharaka Nithi where he drummed up support for Kindiki saying they have worked in the Senate and in the legal profession and is qualified to be second in command.

He stressed the need for being a loyal leader, without which, there is no currency in politics saying Kindiki understands too well these dynamics.
“There are two mountains in the country, Mt Kenya and Elgon. And we, from Mt Elgon, have never regarded ourselves as ‘people from the mountain’ we are just silent because people know where we come from,” said Wetang’ula.

He also said: “I want to salute Kikuyu Mp, Kimani Ichung’wah for being a courageous young leader in the country. I want to tell all MPs, in life, there is only one currency in politics, and that currency is called loyalty.  Loyalty to your course, to the people who elected you, to your boss and loyalty for what you stand for… be loyal and you will go far.”

Ichung’wah has also been a major critic of Gachagua and has not shied away from speaking his mind as plain as he can get and was among the first persons to acknowledge that the impeachment process had begun last month.

“It is true there is an impeachment motion against Gachagua and as Kikuyu Mp, I have appended my signature to it and I will support that impeachment motion. I do not believe in the politics of undermining and sabotaging a Government that we formed,” he said ahead of the motion being tabled in the National Assembly.