Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday dismissed the impeachment motion against him, calling the accusations baseless, malicious, and driven by individuals with ulterior motives and a hunger for power.
Speaking at a press conference from his official residence in Karen, Gachagua denied all corruption claims, citing the assets of his late brother, former Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua, as the source of some of the resources and funds that have been falsely labeled as proceeds of corruption.
“I will defend myself before the National Assembly this afternoon,” Gachagua stated, firmly rejecting allegations of fraudulent property acquisition. In a strategic move ahead of today’s impeachment trial, the deputy president explained that his wealth, including hotels, land, apartments, homes, and businesses, was inherited from his late brother Nderitu, and also came from sound investments made by his children using bank credit.
He labeled the impeachment motion as “sensational trash” and suggested that his ouster was being pursued because of his differences with President William Ruto. For the first time, Gachagua revealed that his fallout with the president began when he refused to oversee the eviction of people living along the Nairobi River, stating, “I declined to oversee the exercise as it was against our campaign pledge to not evict our people without providing alternative settlement.”
Gachagua criticized Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, who introduced the impeachment motion, accusing him of presenting a case filled with falsehoods and exaggerated claims. “The motion brought by Hon. Mwengi Mutuse is a fabrication and unfounded allegations engineered by people who want to remain in power by all means,” Gachagua said. He further described today’s parliamentary debate as “a theatre of absurdity where lies will be defended as some people struggle to hound me out of office.”
Regarding the accusations of tribalism and dividing Kenyans over the issue of shareholding, Gachagua clarified that his remarks referred to a pre-election agreement signed by the three principals of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula bargained for and signed for 30 percent shares in Kenya Kwanza government for Luhyas before the election, including resources. I did not come up with the shares idea,” he explained.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, during his press conference on Monday, continued to dismantle the accusations in the impeachment motion against him, claiming that individuals such as Amason Kingi, now Speaker of the Senate, and even Raila Odinga, who recently joined the Kenya Kwanza alliance, received their shares through negotiations.
He emphasized that his remarks on “shareholders” were based on these agreements, not personal favoritism.
Addressing the accusations of corruption and fraudulent property acquisition, Gachagua firmly stated, “I will defend myself before the National Assembly.” He dismissed the allegations made by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse as “outrageous and baseless propaganda” aimed at tarnishing his reputation and orchestrating his removal from office.
On claims that he enriched himself to the tune of KSh 5.7 billion through pseudo companies, Gachagua clarified that most of the assets mentioned in the motion belonged to his late brother, Nderitu Gachagua, who passed away in 2017 from pancreatic cancer.
“In his will, my late brother bequeathed his properties, assets, and cash. Among them were the Olive Garden Hotel, Vipingo Beach Resort, Queens Gate Apartment, and Langata Highrise Flats,” Gachagua explained. He further criticized Mutuse for claiming that these properties were acquired after he became Deputy President in 2022, stating, “My brother died in 2017.”
He also mentioned that his late brother had appointed him, lawyer Njoroge Regeru, and Mwai Mathenge as executors of his will, and part of the funds in his accounts came from the sale of the Olive Garden Hotel, as per the will’s directives.
Addressing the mosquito net scandal in which his son was implicated, Gachagua clarified that his son had not won any tenders for the deal, as the contracts were exclusively for manufacturers. He explained that Shobika Impex Limited had appointed Crystal Kenya as their local agent to manage logistical operations and monitor supplies at the ports of entry.
Gachagua emphasized that the tendering process was handled by Shobika, not Crystal Kenya. When the tender fell through, his son, Keith Rigathi, contacted the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to inquire about the status of the bid bond on behalf of Crystal Kenya.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua admitted during the press briefing that he had personally contacted KEMSA acting CEO Andrew Mulwa after learning that KSh 500 million paid as a bid bond had not been released.
“KEMSA informed me that the money had been seized by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) while the matter was being investigated, and I allowed it to rest there,” he explained. However, he added that the EACC eventually closed the case and returned the bid bond without any reservations.
Gachagua also criticized the recent public participation process regarding his impeachment, describing it as poorly conducted and inaccessible to most Kenyans. He argued, “The public participation was a shoddy exercise that most Kenyans couldn’t comprehend.
The accusations were presented in highly legalistic language, making it difficult for people to make an informed decision. Additionally, my response wasn’t included in the materials provided to the public.”
He condemned the impeachment motion against him, calling it a shameful attempt to remove a democratically elected leader based on falsehoods. Gachagua urged Members of Parliament to focus on issues that matter to the electorate, particularly the mismanagement of public resources in the health sector, rather than engaging in what he termed “sensational fabrications.”
The motion, having garnered the support of 291 lawmakers in the National Assembly, proceeded to public participation across Kenya’s 47 counties. Gachagua remains adamant that the accusations are baseless and aimed at tarnishing his image.
