Members of the National Assembly on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, overwhelmingly voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
281 MPs voted in favor of the motion to send home Gachagua while 44 opposed the ouster of President William Ruto’s deputy with 1 abstention.
The lawmakers took the vote moments after Gachagua put up a spirited fight to defend himself in the chambers.
Gachagua dismissed all the allegations levelled against him, maintaining that he was innocent and a scheme to kick him out was baseless.
The embattled DP addressed all the eleven counts, one by one, countering the Mwengi Mutuse motion with evidentiary material including video clips.
At the same time, Gachagua justified his vast wealth, with a huge chunk of it linked to his late brother Nderitu Gachagua who served as Nyeri Governor.
Gachagua stands his ground
On undermining State officials and in particular the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and its Director Noordin Haji, Gachagua stated that he had learned from his boss President William Ruto when served as deputy President.
Gachagua played a video clip in which President William Ruto (then DP) criticized former Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and former Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti.
“Honorable members, that was President William Ruto criticizing Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and former DCI boss George Kinoti,” he said.
“I have learnt from my boss that public officials must be called to order when they fall short of expectations. I did not see anybody bring William Ruto here for impeachment for the same. This is a very unfair allegation!”
Also Read: Dumping Gachagua: Ichung’wah Speaks on Ruto’s Role in Impeachment
Before concluding his submission, Gachagua thanked Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei for standing with him when he was arrested during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.
Nonetheless, the DP made the remarks, cognizant of the fact that Boss, who is also Uasin Gishu Woman representative had mobilized MPs to support his impeachment.
“Honorable Shollei…You came and sat with me at the DCI headquarters, brought me tea, brought me lunch, sat with me, comforted me at court, and you coordinated the collection of Ksh12.5 million as my cash bail.
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You came to see me in Gigiri for four days and had very kind words. Despite what you have said, my sister, I do remember that one good thing that you did for me. I love you and cherish you,” Gachagua recalled.
Also Read: Should Gachagua Resign or Wait to be Impeached?
United against Mau Mau son
Both the Majority and Minority leaders in the national assembly passionately supported the motion to oust Gachagua.
Minority leader Junet Mohamed agreed with Mutuse that Gachagua had perpetuated tribal and divisive politics.
“In this country you’re not allowed to form a political or religious party. You are not allowed to form a Mlima political party. The DP has told Kenyans Kenya is a shareholding company and if you did not vote for Kenya Kwanza, you do not have any shares.”
Junet also opposed calls to impeach Gachagua and Ruto saying the motion before Parliament was for the DP’s ouster.
“I was shocked that people were saying ‘kufa makanga kufa dereva’. We cannot allow the driver to die because we have witnessed a situation where the makanga wants to take the steering wheel by force.
We cannot allow the driver to die because 55 million Kenyans are going to die with him but the makanga can go.”
On his part, the majority leader in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah assured Central Kenya that the rich vote region was intact.
“The mountain is intact. The mountain is named after Kenya because it belongs to all the people of Kenya we must end ethnic balkanization. Rigathi Gachagua must go,” Ichung’wah said.
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