Nairobi — Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse has linked Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's sons Kevin Rigathi and Keith Ikinu, as well as close family members, to economic crimes and money laundering through proxies.
Prosecuting the impeachment motion against Gachagua on Tuesday, Mutuse elaborated that Gachagua misrepresented facts about his role as an executor of the estate of his late brother Nderitu Gachagua.
Mutuse singled out the involvement of Gachagua's sons in running properties under the estate.
"The children are not listed as executors of the will. One would then wonder because they are not executors what are they doing in the operations of the company. It can only show purchase and money laundering," Mutuse argued.
The Kibwezi West MP accused Gachagua's son of transacting with government through Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) citing the lease of Tree Tops Hotel.
"If you say your children should not transact with government yet you have leased Treetops Hotel under the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). Are you not transacting with government?" Mutuse posed.
Sh600mn loan
Mutuse accused Gachagua's family of money laundering questioning how the two sons managed to acquire a Sh600 million loan.
"I have looked at the ID numbers of the two sons and I can confirm they are in their early thirties. I want Kenyans especially Gen Z who were on streets, which Kenyans especially 33-year-old, get security to secure Sh600 million loan," he said.
"If a 28-year-old can get into a bank and acquire a Sh600 million loan in a bank. What other reason will show an economic crime has been done?" Mutuse posed.
The sponsor of the motion alleged that Gachagua has registered over twenty companies currently idle but meant to transact business with government through tenders.
"These are special purpose vehicle for money laundering. They are waiting for prime day to launder resources from the government," he asserted.
"The Deputy President didn't deny that he owned either of the companies. I am not interested on the time when they were registered but what they have done in the last two years," Mutuse stated.
Sh5.2bn question
Mutuse disputed assertions by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that the vast portion of Sh5.2 billion wealth cited in his impeachment belongs to his late brother.
The lawmaker alleged that Gachagua bought off his late brother's prime properties at collossal amounts, in some cases through coercion since he took power.
The Kibwezi West MP said the Deputy President was simply shielding himself from the accusations by citing his involvement as an administrator of the senior Gachagua's estate.
"Its easy to hide with the dead because the dead cant come to give evidence. We have documents including the joint will of the executors of estate. The DP hasn't told Kenyans that he bought the properties through coercion," he said.
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Mutuse listed the aquisition of Tree Tops Hotels (under lease), Olive Gardens Hotel, Queens Apartments, Wamunyoro Enterprises and Vipingo Garden Beach Resort among questionable additions to Gachagua's assets.
The first-time lawmaker tabled evidence showing Gachagua acquired Aberdare Safari Hotel through transferred ownership which is worth Sh535 million.
"If buying properties worth Sh5.2 billion in the two years is not reason enough to believe that the Deputy President has committed economic crimes, what other reason will make you believe?" Mutuse posed.
