Dumping Gachagua: Ichung'wah Clarifies Ruto's Role

The Kikuyu MP labelled Gachagua’s Monday night press conference on his ongoing impeachment bid as futile attempts at playing to the gallery.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has responded to claims that President William Ruto has a hand in the special motion for removal from office by impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua ,that is before parliament.

DP Gachagua during his media address on Monday October 7, evening claimed that President Ruto sanctioned his impeachment.

While responding to questions from journalists, DP Gachagua asserted that his boss gave a nod, having earlier argued that the motion would not make it into the house without Ruto’s greenlight.

“To the issue that this motion cannot find its way to the National Assembly without the President’s nod, that is true, it can’t. It has the President’s nod,” said Gachagua.

The DP declined to delve further into the allegations, asserting that he will prosecute the matter in depth while appearing before the House today to defend himself.

However, Kikuyu Member of Parliament (MP) Ichung’wah refuted the allegations that President Ruto sanctioned his deputy’s impeachment.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua kneels at a past function. PHOTO/DPCS — President Ruto, DP Gachagua, MP Kimani Ichung’wa and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka with the NADCO Report at State House. PHOTO-PCS

The leader of the majority labelled Gachagua’s Monday night press conference on his ongoing impeachment bid as futile attempts at playing to the gallery.

Also Read: Should Gachagua Resign or Wait to be Impeached?

Kimani Ichung’wah hits back at Gachagua

Ichung’wah said that MPs do not need any permission from the President and that they are just exercising their constitutional mandate.

“I would completely disagree. I am the leader of the majority and when the honorable Mutuse Eckomas approached me to append my signature on the motion. I read the motion myself and I appended my signature after reading that motion.

Members of Parliament do not need the permission of President William Ruto or indeed anyone in the executive to impeach anybody,” said Ichung’wah.

“MPs simply exercise their oversight mandate in accordance with the constitution. It is Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who has been appealing to the President including what he tried to do in church yesterday. We do not need permission; we do not need the concurrence of President William Ruto.”

He further said that President Ruto has not appended his signature to neither the impeachment motion nor shall the lawmakers require him to ascent the motion if passed.

“We require him to ascent to the motion if passed in the house it is not a Bill. I know DP Gachagua was only in the house for four years he may not have had time to understand what kind of things end up to the President to ascent.”

Speculation about the state of Gachagua’s relationship with Ruto has intensified, particularly since the head of state’s silence following his return from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 30, 2024.

Also Read: Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Addresses the Nation – Key Pointers

The second in command is facing impeachment with the motion making its way in the National Assembly.

Relationship between Ruto & Gachagua

President Ruto’s silence of the matter in public has led to rumors regarding his dissatisfaction with his deputy, especially as Gachagua faces eleven allegations related to constitutional breaches.

Ruto has avoided publicly commenting on the impeachment proceedings despite calls from religious leaders and others urging Ruto to seek reconciliation with his principal assistant.

However, Gachagua during the address dismissed claims that he has been undermining his boss and termed the claims, absurd, and said his woes stem from “being truthful”.

Gachagua asserted that since assuming office in September 2022, President Ruto has never once called him out for alleged insubordination.

“For the record, President William Ruto has never complained to me that I’ve undermined him. If he has conveyed that to Honorable Mutuse, I would like to know about it,” Gachagua said, defending his actions.

This is one of the charges listed in an impeachment motion by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse who accuses him of insubordination, for opposing government-sanctioned evictions along the Nairobi River, which had received Cabinet approval.

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