In a surprise turn of events, massive political support for beleaguered Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has caused a seismic political shift in the country overshadowing his impeachment currently underway in Parliament.
From Mt Kenya to Rift Valley – President Ruto’s backyard – DP Gachagua’s support swept the region like a fire in the savannah leaving political analysts to ponder whether today is the day Kenyan politics shifted and took a different trajectory.
The ill-timed impeachment proceedings against the DP and the ensuing public participation on the issues spun on its head and turned out to be a national referendum on his boss President Ruto.
And as the President continued to receive low blows from participants, many concluded that the little goodwill he enjoyed evaporated today as what was aimed as day to collect public reviews on the impeachment turned to become a referendum of his government.
And the public returned a harsh verdict short of giving the President a red card as the chants of “kufa dereva kufa makanga” characterised most of the meetings across the country.
One conclusion was that government has not delivered of its many promises and instead of concentrating on the real work, it was busy engaging the people on sideshows that have nothing to do with performance.
Many participants said it was impossible to separate the President and the Deputy and therefore firing one and leaving the other was much ado about nothing. They said they would want a situation where both of them were kicked out or remains.
In Marakwet participants wondered whether the removal of DP Gachagua will immediately resolve the university funding crisis or the health insurance crisis or revamp the stalled road projects. They saw the move as diversional and aimed at covering up the failures of President Ruto and his government.
It was the same message in Baringo, Nyeri, Murang’a, Laikipia, Kirinyaga, Kiambu and many other counties where they said Ruto and Gachagua were joined at the hip and not separable. The impeachment therefore should target both of them.
