MPs Who Are Backing DP Rigathi Gachagua Amid Impeachment Talks
The impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has ignited a political storm in the National Assembly, with 58 Members of Parliament declining to sign the motion.
As the motion was tabled on Tuesday, the split among legislators raised eyebrows, especially as the proponents need a supermajority of 233 votes to succeed in sending the Deputy President home.
Notably, five MPs from Murang’a County have publicly distanced themselves from the impeachment efforts, warning of severe social, political, and economic repercussions for the Mount Kenya region.
These MPs, Mr. Wakili Edward Muriu (Gatanga), Ms. Mary Wamaua (Maragua), Mr. Peter Kihungi (Kangema), Mr. Joseph Muiotoro (Kigumo), and Mr. Chege Njuguna (Kandara), released a joint statement calling for restraint.
“It is our clarion call as MPs from Murang’a County to request colleagues for sobriety in handling this motion because the interest of the nation is greater than the interest of an individual,” they stated.
The lawmakers also decried the manner in which the Deputy President was being “condemned unheard,” claiming that the constitutional provisions had been overlooked. “The impeachment motion by Parliament under Article 150 of the Constitution does not provide the Deputy President with an opportunity to respond to the allegations against him. That is a slap on the face of the said constitutional provision,” they added, vowing to vote against the motion.
Among those who did not sign the impeachment motion was Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, who has been rumored as a potential successor to Gachagua. Meanwhile, Babu Owino, an outspoken ODM MP from Embakasi East, also did not append his signature, sparking curiosity given his usual stance on government issues. Owino’s absence was notable, particularly since the majority of ODM legislators signed in favor of the motion.
Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia, the sole Nyeri County representative opposing the motion, urged President William Ruto and DP Gachagua to resolve their differences, signaling deeper political fractures within the ruling administration.
Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu, representing the Wiper Party, also voiced his opposition. “I’m not convinced there are grounds to impeach Mr. Gachagua. We will oppose the motion as Wiper. If it is impeachment, President Ruto should be sent home too. There is nothing the DP has done that the President hasn’t done,” he told the Daily Nation, referring to Wiper’s NEC decision to oppose the motion.
With the Jubilee, Wiper, and DAP-K parties working to block the motion, and 291 lawmakers already signing, the battle for the future of the Deputy President is on a knife edge.
In Other News: State To Raid M-Pesa And Airtime Of Hustler Fund Defaulters In Sh7 Billion Recovery
MPs Who Are Backing DP Rigathi Gachagua Amid Impeachment Talks
