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The onslaught of verbal attacks on Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua intensified yesterday, with MPs tearing into his conduct during a debate in the National Assembly that lasted more than an hour.

And in a sign of tough times ahead for the DP, a member claimed he had initiated a process to impeach him.

Gatundu North MP Njoroge Kururia claimed in a social media message that his purported motion had attracted the backing of 56 members.

“I want to warn the DP that if he continues to shout at us, we will impeach him,” Kururia wrote in a message on an MPs’ WhatsApp group seen by People Daily. “In fact, I have five MPs who are fighting on who will be the first to append the signature to the motion.”
In the National Assembly, Speaker Moses Wetang’ula allowed members to debate the DP’s conduct for one and a half hours, in apparently coordinated verbal attacks involving both the majority and minority sides.

‘Misleading statement’

Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah tore into the DP’s character, accusing him of issuing a misleading statement, claiming his arrival for a church service in Nakuru last weekend was delayed by bad weather.

“We left Nairobi at the same time and I can confirm there was no delay, save for a five-minute interruption around Mt Longonot,” Ichung’wah claimed.

He also accused the DP of disrespecting elected leaders, especially those from Nyeri and other Mt Kenya counties.

Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge, rising on a point of order, claimed that the six MPs representing constituencies in Nyeri county had suffered under the DP, who allegedly demanded that they accompany him to whatever function he attended, including night bashes and Muratina drinking parties.

“I speak on behalf of the six Nyeri MPs and can attest that we have suffered under someone who has been demanding that we accompany him to every party he attends,” Mathenge charged.

On claims that the DP had been denied a military chopper, Ichung’wah said he would write to Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale ans ask him to appear before lawmakers to explain the matter. 

’Marriage not working’

Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi said it was an open secret that the “marriage” between the President and the DP is not working and the honourable thing is to end it. “We in the Opposition are ready to fast-track the event to end the marriage,” Wandayi said in an apparent reference to a censure motion against Gachagua.

The DP has been at loggerheads with some leaders in the ruling UDA party, including Ichung’wah.

The Kikuyu MP has publicly told off Gachagua over what the DP claims are efforts to bring unity in the Mt Kenya region, asking him to stop preaching regional politics.

Ichung’wah told the DP that he is holding a national office and should seek to unite all Kenyans instead of those from his community alone.

“If we truly believe that we hold offices that bestow on you the role of being a symbol of national unity, seek to unite the people of Kenya, not the people of Mt Kenya,” he said. “If I am the leader of the majority in the republic of Kenya, I am not the leader of the majority in Mt Kenya alone, I should seek to unite the people of Kenya.”

But MPs are divided on the Gachagua matter, with some dismissing its as a “hoax”.

Mathenge, the Nyeri Town MP, dismissed the claimed impeachment bid as “hot air”, saying MPs were in the habit of threatening to table such motions only to chicken out at the last minute.

“We are used to these kinds of theatrics where MPs go to the media claiming to have impeachment motions only to end up doing nothing. This is one of that kind,” said Mathenge.

Some MPs also attacked Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, a close ally of Gachagua, following a statement he made urging MPs to shoot down the 2024 Finance Bill.

Governor accused

Ichung’wah kicked off the debate by accusing the governor of being ignorant in the wording of his statement.

Wandayi took issue with the Nyeri governor over his statement lamenting that debts for sugarcane farmers were being waived and yet sugarcane farmers did not vote for this government.

“We must, in one accord, say that the government of the Republic of Kenya belongs to all Kenyans and all Kenyans pay taxes, be they in Bungoma, Kakamega or Nyeri,” he said.

Ichung’wah claimed Kahiga was speaking on behalf of somebody else, referring to Gachagua.
“This governor must be called out; how can he say he will shoot down the Finance Bill whereas he is not an MP?” Ichung’wah posed.  

MPs also faulted the DP’s decision to travel on a commercial flight to Mombasa carrying his own luggage. Jared Okello (Nyando) sought a statement on why the DP had to fly commercial even after Parliament passed a budget that funds his travels.

Speaker Wetangula also waded into the debate, saying Parliament had allocated money in the budget to cover travel for the President and his deputy.

But defending Gachagua, Githonga Mukunji (Manyatta) said it was out of order to discuss the DP’s character without a substantive motion.

Minority Whip Junet Mohamed claimed the DP was demeaning his position by going round carrying his own luggage.

“The DP has portrayed himself as a person who is not interested in his position,” Junet said.

“This House has the powers to address such a matter. He, as the second-in-command, must be held accountable for the actions and words he speaks.”

Mombasa Woman Representative Zamzam Mohammed said the sight of the DP wheeling a bag painted Kenya in bad light.

“This is a serious a matter and I would urge both the President and his deputy to sit and talk their differences out before they escalate to unmanageable levels,” she said.

’Non-existent narratives’

Gachagua has been defending his unity calls, saying he is not trying to antagonise anyone. He warned against the creation of non-existent narratives regarding his efforts, saying his focus is helping to unite the whole country.

“I am on record as a great peacemaker. The unity we are calling for is not against anybody, it is the unity of purpose,” he said in Nyeri recently.

“The unity we are calling for is the unity of Kenya and we are doing it bottom up.”

Ichung’wah also criticised Gachagua’s recent remarks that those opposed to his unity efforts should cease discussing him in other regions and instead do so in the Mt Kenya region.