Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa on Friday, October 18, 2024, shared kind words with the impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

In his statement during the burial ceremony of Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka’s mother in Kamukuywa, Barasa indicated that all was not lost for Gachagua after the impeachment.

“Na wale ambao hawana kazi, akiwemo naibu wa rais wa zamani Rigathi Gachagua, msikufe moyo. Biblia inasema msifadhaike; kama ufalme wa duniani imekuwa shida, umekosa, kuna ufalme free wa mbinguni uchukue ufalme wa mbinguni na maisha yenu itakuwa sawasawa,” Barasa said.

Barasa spoke at the funeral service attended by prominent leaders including Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, Busia Governor Paul Otuoma and former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati.

Barasa supported impeachment

Before the tabling of the impeachment motion on the floor of the National Assembly by Kibwezi West MP Eckomas Mutuse, Barasa was among the MPs whose names were floated to move the motion.

He appended his signature for consideration of the impeachment motion by National Assembly speaker Moses Wetang’ula and equally proceeded to vote in favour of the impeachment of Gachagua.

His comments come at a time when the High Court has barred the transition to a new Deputy President from proceeding pending the hearing and determination of a petition on October 24, 2024.

This came after the National Assembly ratified the nomination of Interior Cabinet Secretary for the position of deputy president.

Gachagua impeachment

While the entire transition period is granted 60 days, the state is seen to be in a rush to fill the void occasioned by the impeachment of Gachagua by the Senate on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

Gachagua was found to have been culpable in five of the 11 charges fronted as the grounds for his removal from office by way of impeachment.

Among the grounds under which Gachagua was impeached were undermining national cohesion through a shareholding narrative, an attack on the Judiciary and gross misconduct after exposing information about the National Intelligence Service among others.

Before his rise to the second-highest seat in the country, Gachagua was a successful businessman who later branched into politics when he became Mathira MP in 2017.

He would later pair up with President William Ruto in the 2022 General Elections and emerge victorious under the Kenya Kwanza coalition despite the odds being stacked in the favour of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who had the support of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.