Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s decision to use a commercial flight to Mombasa has exposed the tensions in the ruling coalition, with a majority of Members of Parliament castigating him for what they termed as a well-choreographed PR show meant to draw sympathy from members of the public.
The heated debate saw the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah clarify that only the President and First Lady are entitled to military aircraft transportation.
This comes after DP Gachagua was on Tuesday captured on camera at JKIA carrying a blue suitcase while taking a commercial flight, the national carrier Kenya Airways, to Mombasa.
The move on Wednesday elicited discourse within and without Parliament, with opposition MPs triggering debate that was initially murmurs in the corridors of the House.
Nyando MP Jared Okello said: “Yesterday, to my dismay, the deputy president took a commercial flight to Mombasa, and was carrying his own bag getting into the aircraft.”
Minority Whip Junet Mohamed chimed in: “What struck me in that episode, as somebody who has travelled a lot, is the kind of bag the deputy president was carrying. That kind of bag is not for the deputy president; that bag is for something else. Another thing that struck me is what was the content of that bag? Because the deputy president could not even give it to his bodyguard, he had to hold it himself.”
“Anything that can create dysfunction in government must be sorted as quickly as possible. When a hyena wants to eat its children, it starts saying that they smell like goats. Something is definitely not working,” added Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi.
MPs affiliated to the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition dismissed DP Gachagua’s move as a stunt aimed at drawing public sympathy.
Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro stated: “It was a shame to see the deputy president moving around carrying a bag. In as much as one wants to pull some PR stunts, we should question the members of staff that work with the DP.”
Dagoretti South MP said: “The DP is on record saying that he is a product of the drama festivals, he has acted on stage in plays, even at the University of Nairobi. So if he decides to put up a play, it is not the place of the Whip to call him out. The DP is very serious about supporting the talents in this country, only a few days ago he was there for the launch of the Bahati show…we might have had a continuation of the same show on the JKIA runway.”
The heated debate comes barely a week after the Deputy President publicly revealed that he had been forced to contend with transport logistic challenges.
“I had matatizo with my transport arrangements, ikaingia mambo ya hewa, nikachelewa kutoka, nikakwama pale kati ya Longonot na Naivasha karibu two hours ndio nifika hapa,” he said during the Akorino prayer service in Nakuru on Sunday.
But Majority Leader Ichung’wah clarified that military aircraft transportation is out of bounds for DP Gachagua, as it is a reserve for the President and First Lady.
“It is only the President as Commander-in-Chief, and the First Lady who have access to military aircraft,” he said.
The Kikuyu MP went further to reveal that DP Gachagua’s assigned police helicopter is currently undergoing maintenance.
“The deputy president has a police aircraft designated for his use, which currently is under maintenance, and the Cabinet Secretary tells me in the next few weeks they will have finalized with its maintenance.”
