‘Impeach both President and DP’ – KANU breaks silence over Gachagua’s ouster plot

Independence party Kenya African National Union (KANU) has broken its silence over the raging debate on an ouster plot facing Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

If parliament wants to pursue impeachment on Gachagua, KANU argues, it should include President William Ruto because both were elected on a joint ticket.

The impeachment debate attracted more limelight, especially after the DP said the plan was being orchestrated by those close to Ruto and asked the president to put an end to it.

“If parliament decides to pursue impeachment, it should be of both the President and the Deputy President, having been elected as a package, for the executive’s continued malfeasance,” KANU said in a statement posted on its X handle on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.

Priority issues

However, KANU believes that the Gachagua impeachment debate should not be an issue of national importance given the priority matters that need to be addressed first.

“The KANU Party is abreast of the recent threats of impeachment against Deputy President Hon. Rigathi Gachagua by a segment of legislators, citing alleged gross misconduct that undermines the dignity of his office.

“While we respect the role of impeachment as a crucial tool for parliamentary oversight, our nation is currently facing pressing issues that demand urgent legislative attention and vigilance.

“We cannot be preoccupied with impeachment as the country stares at significant failures in public policy decisions, including the potential takeover of key strategic national assets, such as JKIA, by the now infamous Adani Group, a failed funding model for tertiary education, and a broken public healthcare system,” the Jogoo party said.

Apart from the reported impeachment plot being planned against the second in command, various other issues, including migration from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and the Adani deals with the Kenya Kwanza government, will continue to get the attention of the nation.