Nairobi — Besieged Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has directly linked his boss, President William Ruto, to his impeachment proceedings, which commenced in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
During a press conference on Monday night, Gachagua stated that the motion, sponsored by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, could not proceed without the president's approval.
"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," he asserted.
Gachagua, who has vowed to fight the charges until the end, including at the Senate and in court, dismissed any suggestions of resignation.
"I was elected by 7.2 million Kenyans; how dare you suggest I resign without public participation? I have no intention of resigning from this job... I will fight until the end," he declared.
The embattled deputy president is scheduled to defend himself before the National Assembly later Tuesday at 5 p.m., following a day of proceedings.
"I will get justice and continue to carry out my duties as DP. Anybody sending me messages to resign is a joker. I have done nothing wrong to Kenyans," Gachagua added.
He described the impeachment motion as a collection of fabrications and unfounded allegations, scoffing at the 11 counts he is set to defend himself against. Among the charges leveled by Mutuse are corruption, undermining the president, tribalism, and insubordination.
One of the most serious allegations against Gachagua is that he undermined President Ruto and the Cabinet, particularly in relation to government-sanctioned evictions along the Nairobi River, which had received Cabinet approval. Gachagua denied these accusations, emphasizing that President Ruto has never personally complained to him.
"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.
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He defended his actions by explaining that while he supports the government's agenda, he opposes inhumane evictions, a practice he associates with previous regimes. "I took an oath to protect the dignity of the people. While I support the government's agenda, I cannot condone any Cabinet decision that violates the rights of citizens," he stated.
Gachagua also raised concerns about the compensation offered to those affected by the evictions, noting that the Ksh 10,000 payout was insufficient.
"I and many other Kenyans felt this was inadequate compensation. I insisted that the government should abide by constitutional dictates," he said.
The deputy president further asserted that the charges of insubordination were groundless and reiterated his commitment to defending the rights of Kenyans, even if it meant facing impeachment. "I have been loyal to the President and have worked hard every day. I will not be distracted," Gachagua emphasized.
He concluded by describing the impeachment effort as "outrageous and baseless propaganda" designed to tarnish his reputation and remove him from office.
The impeachment motion, which garnered support from 291 lawmakers in the National Assembly, proceeded to public participation across Kenya's 47 counties on Friday. President Ruto, however, has remained silent on the matter since it was tabled on October 1, avoiding any public comment on the troubles facing his deputy.
