Besieged Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was breathing fire when he visited Marikiti market in Nairobi this morning as his war with his boss President Ruto escalated amid impeachment plans.
Days after 48 Mt Kenya MPs gathered in Nyahururu to endorse Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as the region’s kingpin, an angry Gachagua said he will not succumb to intimidations and threats of impeachment.
He said he was elected by the people of Kenya and that anybody who desires to impeach him must meet him on the ground and deal with the people.
“I was elected by the people of Kenya. Stop the intimidation through attempts to bribe members of parliament for my impeachment. It won’t work,” said DP Gachagua.
He added “Let me begin by acknowledging the trust you have placed in me. The people of Kenya are the ones who elected me, not the Members of Parliament. Let those MPs who think they can intimidate me look for someone else. I am a representative of the people, and I will always stand firm and say what the people of Kenya want to be heard.”
Without naming names, Gachagua said there are individuals in government who cannot stand being told the truth and have a problem with him because he speaks the truth, and sometimes, the truth is not comfortable for everyone.
He called on all leaders to stop looking down on Kenyans, respect them, for they are the ones who gave them the opportunity to lead. The least we can do as leaders is to show them respect and hear their voices.
“When we were seeking the support of the Marikiti Traders, we humbled ourselves and listened to them. Now, I say, it’s time for us to humble ourselves once again in service to those very traders. Let us not chest-thump; instead, let’s listen to their concerns and act on them,” he said.
He said leadership is about serving the people, not lording over them and that Kenyans deserve respect, and they deserve leaders who are willing to work for them with humility and integrity.
That Gachagua has fallen out with President Ruto is in doubt and this is the second time an impeachment move against him is being crafted.
The first one was dropped after it emerged that Gachagua was too popular on the ground and that his impeachment might cost President Ruto and his government dearly and there was no clear plan for his replacement.
The person who was touted to be his replacement and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro grew cold feet and dropped out of the public limelight after conducting several tours across the country.
The current plan to replace him with CS Kindiki appears to be more oiled and better planned with the marshalling of MPs from Mt Kenya region that has since been divided into East and West and the recent attempt to bring on board MCAs from the region.
The meeting with MCAs who are the real grassroots representatives ended in a disarray after one group denounced the Kindiki endorsement agenda and pledged loyalty to Gachagua and the other group changed tune and said the meeting was about development of the region. Eventually the agenda to endorse Kindiki backfired.
