Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's impending impeachment sets stage for political upheaval. What's next for Kenya's power players?
As the Senate trial of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua opens Wednesday, he is banking on a two-pronged fightback to salvage his tenure at the Executive, but equally preparing for the worst.
From a star-studded cast of lawyers that will mount his defence during the impeachment proceedings to simultaneous multiple court cases to try scuttle the process or, if impeached, attempt to overturn Parliament’s verdict that could destroy his political career, Mr Gachagua has opted that he won’t go down without a bitter fight.
Speculation that he would resign to avoid being barred from public office, which will be the implication of his impeachment, if it materialises, has remained just that as the man who is only two years in office as deputy president soldiers on despite the odds stacked against him.
Aside from the twin battle in the courtroom and Senate chambers, Mr Gachagua has embraced a strategy from his political advisors to take the fight to the court of public opinion. Here, he is rallying his support base to turn up the heat on his critics, particularly lawmakers who are pushing for his ouster.
According to his confidants and loyalists, Mr Gachagua's fightback is not only limited to surviving the impeachment motion but also includes scheming 2027 revenge against President William Ruto.
"When he announced that he will fight to the bitter end, he meant he will deliver real battle to all grounds his detractors are occupying," said one of his personal aides who requested not to be named.
War council
But Nation.Africa has gathered that the DP's war council is segmented into four levels: Senate, courts, political reaction and the 2027 game plan.
At the Senate, Mr Gachagua is reported to have activated a charm offensive in his bid to raise 23 senators who can save him and shoe him back into office.
Mr Gachagua had also invested in diplomacy to reach out to President Ruto, but efforts to reconcile the two are now time-barred given the Senate trial starts Wednesday.
"It is true we are still optimistic that the president will see the grave repercussions this impeachment process has for the stability and development of this country," said former provincial administrator Joseph Kaguthi.
Mr Kaguthi was part of the team seeking reconciliation between the President and his deputy.
"It is true we are engaging...We have come together as representatives from the Kikuyu Council of Elders, Kiama Ki Ma, Nyangi Nduriri among other leaders from the Gema community," he said.
He added that the team was led by former Methodist Church Presiding Bishop Lawi Imathiu (Chairman), Anglican Bishop Emeritus Peter Njenga (Co-Chairman), Arthur Namu (Secretary-General) and a member representing the Akamba community, Mr George Ndotto.
With the Ruto reconciliation option now clearly off the table, the besieged deputy president is going hard at trying to win over the Senate.
"At the Senate we have a chance to parade Mr Gachagua as the main witness to defend himself...he is the accused. He is the man under trial and is the one whose career is on the line. He is core of his own war council," said a lawyer from his legal team.
Legal team
Senior Counsel Paul Muite.
The lawyers on his team are led by Senior Counsel Paul Muite and include Victor Swanya, Elisha Ongoya, Andrew Muge, George Sakimpa, Ndegwa Njiru, George Wandati, Faith Waigwa, Murigi Kamande, Amos Kisilu, Julia Omwamba, Tom Macharia and Andrew Muge.
Another prominent lawyer who first shot to national limelight during 2013 presidential petition will also be making his debut at Senate.
As for Mr Njiru, he has recently emerged as the legal team's media liaison officer, staging several shows especially those that have Mt Kenya residents as the target audience.
Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru during his submission at Milimani High Court on October 15, 2024, during a hearing on a petition seeking to stop Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's impeachment proceedings at the Senate.
"This is a case that we will prosecute successfully...be patient. We are going to raise fundamental gaps in the architecture of the ouster motion and we will be seeking to convince and persuade the honourable courts that Gachagua stands gravely prejudiced and the people of Kenya held in utter contempt," he recently told Inooro FM.
Fight at senate
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua arrives at the Senate for his impeachment hearing.
It is at the Senate that efforts have been underway to raise the 23 senators needed to save Gachagua, but so far his numbers hanging below the half mark.
To his side, he has senators Joe Nyutu (Murang'a), Karungo Thang'wa (Kiambu), Kamau Murango (Kirinyaga), John Methu (Nyandarua), Samson Cheraregey (Nandi), John Kinyua (Laikipia) and Busia's Okoiti Omtatah.
"But unless senators rise to the occasion of putting sobriety and equal justice forward and resist party lines mobilisation, we anticipate to fail in this drive since it appears we can only raise not more than 15," said one of Mr Gachagua allies at the Senate who opted not to be named.
"The problem is that Mr Gachagua is being ejected by a combined effort between President Ruto and Azimio boss Mr Raila Odinga. They have the numbers and this is a political process," the senator said.
Mr Nyutu told Nation.Africa that "the Senate is not a pedestrian House that works to rubber-stamp issues presented but seeks to project itself as a House for equal justice".
“We will prove to the country that the country's stability can be safeguarded at the Senate and issues can be prosecuted without prejudice,” he said.
