Lugari Member of Parliament Nabii Nabwera has dismissed claims surrounding the arrest and impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, terming the process as politically charged and unhelpful to ordinary citizens.

Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on May 28, 2025, Nabwera took issue with lawmakers pushing for Gachagua’s ouster, arguing that the drive was less about national interest and more about political rivalry. He maintained that many Kenyans, including his constituents in Lugari, stood to gain nothing from the former DP’s removal.

“I have asked colleagues, and I haven’t gotten any sensible answer,” he said. “Now, Kenyans help me. Why should I participate in impeaching Gachagua? What do I stand to gain by impeaching him? How will Lugari Constituency benefit?” he posed.

Nabwera’s remarks appear to capture growing concerns among some leaders who feel that political efforts are increasingly being directed toward individual battles rather than solving the country’s pressing problems.

Echoing his sentiments, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, who joined Nabwera during the interview, warned that the legal and constitutional mechanisms meant to uphold democracy risk being turned into weapons for settling political scores.

“We must be cautious not to turn legal and constitutional processes into political tools. Today it’s Gachagua, tomorrow it might be any of us who speak truth to power,” Kaluma said.

Kaluma emphasized the need for restraint and urged leaders to protect the integrity of public institutions by upholding fairness and due process, regardless of political affiliations.

Impeachment

The reactions come in the wake of Rigathi Gachagua’s historic impeachment in October 2024, marking one of the first case involving a sitting Deputy President in Kenya’s history.

The Senate upheld five out of eleven charges brought against him, which included ethnic profiling, inciting division among communities, and gross misconduct while in office.

One of the most damning pieces of evidence presented during the impeachment hearings was a leaked audio clip in which Gachagua allegedly called for government appointments and contracts to be skewed in favor of individuals from the Mount Kenya region.

The remarks sparked public outrage, with critics accusing him of undermining national cohesion and violating the spirit of inclusivity.

While the impeachment process was backed by some government allies and a section of the opposition, others like Nabwera and Kaluma viewed it as a distraction from more urgent development needs.

Call for focus on development

Nabwera urged the government and Parliament to redirect their energy toward improving service delivery and addressing real challenges faced by Kenyans.

“Is Gachagua the reason our education system is collapsing? Is he to blame for our dilapidated healthcare facilities and neglected rural roads?” Nabwera posed.

Both lawmakers stressed the need to depoliticize public institutions and focus on reforms that would uplift citizens’ lives. They urged Parliament to prioritize policies that promote equity, job creation, and better infrastructure instead of being consumed by political vendettas.

As the dust settles on Gachagua’s impeachment, the debate it has sparked continues to expose deep divisions within Kenya’s political class, even as ordinary Kenyans look for answers and solutions to the challenges they face daily.