Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has addressed unnamed individuals reportedly calling for his removal, asserting that he remains a strong supporter of President William Ruto’s administration.
While speaking to residents in Sagana, Kirinyaga County, on Saturday, he cautioned leaders spreading such rumors to avoid making divisive comments. Labeling the statements as “nonsense,” Gachagua remarked that such discussions should be limited to WhatsApp groups rather than aired at public gatherings.
“The people of Mt. Kenya, this is our government. We invested in his government. I’ve heard people saying that we leave the government, how can we leave our own government? I want to ask leaders not to make statements that confuse Kenyans,” Gachagua said.
“That kind of nonsense should be contained in WhatsApp groups. When you come to the rural areas, speak in a voice that unites us. Can we leave the person we voted for? We are in this government 100 per cent.”
DP Gachagua spoke while accompanying President Ruto on a three-day tour of the Mt. Kenya region, which started in Embu on Wednesday, continued to Murang’a on Friday, and concluded in Kirinyaga on Saturday. This visit comes amid speculation about a potential plot to impeach Gachagua, with critics suggesting that the President might be gauging his deputy’s reception in the region.
Reports indicated that late-night meetings involving 21 Mt. Kenya politicians were held last month, where they resolved to introduce an impeachment motion against the DP, accusing him of undermining the presidency. In response to the rumors, Gachagua mentioned facing backlash for his efforts to unify the Mt. Kenya region.
“I have not seen the impeachment motion but I have heard rumors that it is being pursued because of my efforts to secure government positions for our people and address issues faced by avocado farmers,” Gachagua stated during a media briefing in his residence on August 4, 2024.
The DP has also received criticism from politicians close to the President who accused him of instigating tribal-based politics instead of uniting the country.
“If we truly believe that we hold offices that bestow on you the role of being a symbol of national unity, seek to unite the people of Kenya not the people of Mt Kenya,” National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah said during an event in Laikipia on June 9, 2024.
In response, Gachagua has accused the leaders of twisting his statements to fit their narratives.
“I am on record as a great peacemaker. The unity we are calling for is not against anybody, it is the unity of purpose. The unity we are calling for is the unity of Kenya and we are doing it bottom up,” the DP said in an event in Naivasha on June 9, 2024.
