Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua speaks at PEFA Church in Thika town, Kiambu County on September 22, 2024. Inset: President William Ruto.
The political rift between President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua took a fresh twist with the DP warning his boss to stop any impeachment plans against him or face the consequences of such a move.
Taking the fight to the pulpit at PEFA Church in Thika, Kiambu County on Sunday, Mr Gachagua cautioned the President to tread carefully, saying the people of Mt Kenya hate betrayers.
Without mincing words, the former Mathira Member of Parliament told the President that he risks losing the trust and support of the people of Mt Kenya should his allies go ahead with their impeachment plan.
The DP said that any ouster motion against him will be the “ultimate betrayal”.
He urged the President not to reintroduce politics of betrayal, adding that he should put his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) house in order.
Mr Gachagua said President Ruto is the greatest beneficiary of the votes from Mt Kenya, however, the people detest betrayal.
The DP said that the people of Mount Kenya played a crucial role in electing the Kenya Kwanza government and should be respected.
“To my boss, President William Ruto, be cautious and do the right thing. Let us not re-introduce the politics of betrayal. Our people hate betrayal and are very unforgiving when betrayed. That is my advice,” the DP said.
“There is no need for impeachment, instead, priority should be given to serving Kenyans. I want to tell my boss to be cautious and avoid people who are inciting him,” he added.
Mr Gachagua told the Head of State that he should not let him go through the same humiliation and disrespect that he (President) faced when he was the Deputy President under former president Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.
The DP said that he still has some faith that President Ruto will do the right thing.
He hinted that some people outside the ruling party want the Kenya Kwanza administration to be broken in order to serve their political interests.
“If there is a problem at home, the man of the house gathers his wife and children and solves the issues. I want to caution that if the direction that is being taken to destroy our homestead succeeds, it will never be the same again,” Mr Gachagua said.
“I would like to ask our President to try and put his house in order so that we can work for Kenyans. If you ask me, all those (impeachment) plans are useless because we were given five years to serve Kenyans,” he added.
Setting the tone, former UDA secretary-general Cleophas Malala alleged that Suna East MP Junet Mohamed and his Homa Bay Town counterpart Peter Kaluma have been tasked to introduce an impeachment motion against the DP before the National Assembly.
Mr Malala said that if the President allows such plans to proceed, once the “outside forces” are done with his deputy, they will come for him in 2027.
“They have picked Kaluma and Junet to lead the Deputy President’s impeachment motion in Parliament. I want to inform President Ruto that those planning the impeachment of your deputy may have an ulterior motive to weaken you and remove you from office,’’ Mr Malala said.
“The two MPs will start by impeaching your deputy and the same people will dethrone you come 2027. I beseech you to call your house to order, and do not punish Gachagua,” he added.
Reached for comment, Mr Mohamed said that it is his constitutional right, but he can only exercise it at his own time.
“Am I not an MP elected by the people of Suna East? So if I want to exercise my constitutional mandate I can do it and at my own time,” said the National Assembly Leader of Minority.
“I will decide when I want to do it. It is my secret weapon. It’s a constitutional right I’ve been given and I will exercise it at my discretion, when I deem it fit,” he added.
Mr Mohamed, however, did not say whether or not an impeachment plan is in the pipeline.
Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa and Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba said any impeachment plan brought to Parliament must have the blessings of President Ruto.
The two leaders said that Mt Kenya region will revolt against the Head of State if that happens.
Ms Wamuchomba claimed the same people who are eager to impeach Mr Gachagua were the same ones who opposed the Kenya Kwanza regime.
“We hate betrayal. The impeachment is being planned and those people who are being used to sign it are the same ones who insulted and humiliated you. My President, please remember Kiambu County gave you 606,000 votes. Please respect those votes and let Gachagua do his job,” Ms Wamuchomba said.
Mr Gachagua was also accompanied by Senator Joe Nyutu (Murang’a), Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, Embakasi Central MP Benjamin “Mejja Donk” Gathiru and nominated MP Teresia Wanjiru.
Signs of the DP’s compounding woes became clear last week when 48 MPs from the former Central Province threw their weight behind Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as their kingpin. This came barely a day after 21 MPs from Mt Kenya East declared that Prof Kindiki was their link to the government.
However, the clearest sign that all was not well between President Ruto and DP Gachagua came during a tell-all television interview on Friday, when the latter laid bare his strained relationship with the President.
