Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa Kayole Parish on July 21.
Three close aides of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were on Tuesday, July 30, quizzed by the police over alleged links to the recent youth-led protests, amid talk of an impeachment plot.
The three individuals recorded a statement with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Karen Police Station over claims of infiltrating and financing the protests that forced President William Ruto to make major concessions, among them withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024 and dissolution of his Cabinet.
The list initially had five staffers but was reduced to three by detectives. One of those discharged had travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the height of protests and the authorities wanted to know the details of his mission. He is said to have satisfactorily addressed any grey areas.
Another officer was asked to explain “suspicious” transactions he did at the height of the protests.
A senior DCI officer, who is among those who took the statements, told the Nation that a former governor and prominent Nairobi MP have also been interrogated over the same.
Collecting signatures
They were grilled on a day Mr Gachagua’s allies claimed that signatures were already being collected by some of President Ruto’s allies to have the DP ousted.
President Ruto has previously claimed that the protests led by Gen Z against tax proposals were hijacked by “organised criminals”.
On the day the President withdrew the Finance Bill, his deputy addressed the nation from Mombasa after and claimed there were attempts to link him to the protests. He accused the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Noordin Haji of trying to implicate him alongside former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Embakasi North MP James Gakuya yesterday told Kameme FM that “there is a politician from Kiambu County who has been collecting signatures to start Mr Gachagua’s impeachment process”. He said the DP’s allies are on standby to see how the scheme will turn out, adding that Mt Kenya region must remain vigilant since that would be a political tragedy.
According to Nominated MP Sabina Chege, the plan, which she termed “unfortunate”, would be the lowest level of political deceit.
“President Ruto should remember that even when his differences with President (Uhuru) Kenyatta peaked, no one in government and with allegiance to the President mooted a motion to impeach him from the second-in-command slot,” she said.
Protests
Some of the politicians from the region have castigated Mr Gachagua over his alleged role in the protests. Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri sensationally claimed that President Ruto was forced to co-opt ODM into government because of Mr Gachagua’s political blackmail.
Mr Kiunjuri claimed that “we have photographic and video evidence as well as money trails about the whole evil plan of attempting to topple President Ruto’s government”. He further said that the President had met his loyalists from Mt Kenya for two days where it was decided that the errant Mt Kenya leader be “crucified” alone.
The DP has since dismissed the talk as being progressed by “idiotic minds that are taking advantage of the prevailing situation to settle scores against those they don’t like or support”.
Speaking last Sunday in Nyadarua County, the DP said “all is well, there is no cause to worry and should it happen that I smell danger, I will rush back to you and report it, for now what I ask of you is unity, remain cemented together for our relevance to prevail”.
The entry of Mr Raila Odinga in the Kenya Kwanza administration is also seen as a threat to Mr Gachagua. Mr Odinga’s entry provides the President with an additional support base other than that of Mt Kenya.
President Ruto last week nominated ODM chairman John Mbadi to the National Treasury and Economic Planning docket, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum), former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho (Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs) and ex-Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development).
Analysts believe that President Ruto’s decision to co-opt Mr Odinga’s allies will create a third centre of power within the regime.
“Bringing Raila into a handshake government will collapse the centre of power in terms of the 2022 alliance of Mt. Kenya and Rift Valley,” said Prof David Monda, a university lecturer and political analyst.
Additional reporting by Nyaboga Kiage.
