Failed leadership hurting Kenyans, Gachagua says

Impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has taken on the government, saying Kenya lacks direction and that citizens felt helpless due to failed leadership.

Speaking yesterday, Gachagua said Kenyans had reached a point of losing hope, appealing to Kenyans to pray for President William Ruto so that he could get the wisdom to address the problems bedevilling the country.

“Our people are feeling helpless because of economic adversities they are facing, over taxation and a failed health system,” Gachagua told a congregation at the Kiambu ACK Cathedral yesterday.

He added: “The government has simply failed to deliver on its promises to Kenyans. I, however, appeal that you keep calm and maintain peace.”

Kenyans ‘overtaxed’

He cited over taxation and a failing health system as evidence of poor governance and urged Kenyans and the clergy to remember the President and his government in their prayers so that he could guide the country in the right direction.

This was the second time that the impeached DP publicly attacked the government, following his sensational claims when he left the hospital last week that two assassination attempts had been made against him.

“After two attempts to assassinate me through food poisoning failed, they brought the impeachment motion. It has been a long and well protracted scheme to get rid off me,” he said.

Immediately after the Senate voted to impeach him, Gachagua said his security guards at his office and private residence were recalled, a move he said was meant to expose him.

“It’s good that the people of Kenya know that I do not have security and that if anything happens to me or my family, President Ruto will be held accountable,” said the DP.

“People expected our people to come out in numbers to protest the impeachment but they do not know our people. We forgive but do not forget.”

He urged the congregation to pray for his lawyers, led by Paul Muite, to push for justice in court in impeachment-related cases.

Gachagua is in court contesting his removal, despite facing three setbacks with his petitions.

His legal team is waging a battle over the impeachment and has vowed to go all the way to the Supreme Court to challenge his ouster.

He also wants courts to stop President Ruto from nominating his successor pending the determination of the case.

The High Court is tomorrow scheduled to hear the State’s challenge of conservatory orders that halted the swearing-in of Kithure Kindiki as Deputy President.

But Gachagua suffered a setback after three High Court judges declined to recuse themselves from the impeachment case.

A three-judge bench consisting of justices Eric Ogola, Anthony Mrima and Freda Mugambi granted Gachagua’s legal team an opportunity to file amended applications related to their initial petition within five days.

“The applications for recusal are hereby disallowed. The petitioners are hereby granted leave to file and serve amended petitions, if need be, within five days of this order. Likewise, the respondents are granted leave to file amended responses, if need be, within five days of service,” the judges ruled.

Conservatory orders

The judges also declined to set aside the conservatory orders that stopped the swearing-in of Kindiki.

“Given the pending application of the conservatory orders and those seeking to set aside the conservatory orders, we hereby direct as follows; the applications shall be deemed as responses for the conservatory orders. The set applications are thereby fixed for hearing on October 29,” noted Ogola.