Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly opposed the upcoming impeachment debate set for Tuesday, dismissing the motion introduced by MP Mwengi Mutuse as a collection of fabrications and baseless allegations. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Gachagua denied accusations of corruption and illegal property acquisition, asserting that he would defend himself before the National Assembly.
The deputy president labeled the claims as "outrageous and unfounded propaganda" aimed at tarnishing his reputation and forcing him out of office. He specifically refuted allegations that properties mentioned in the impeachment motion were acquired through corrupt means, clarifying that most of them belonged to his late brother, James Nderitu Gachagua, who passed away in 2017 from pancreatic cancer.
“In his will, my late brother left his properties, assets, and cash to be managed by us. These include Olive Garden Hotel, Vipingo Beach Resort, Queens Gate Apartment, and Lang'ata Highrise Flats,” Gachagua stated. “Mutuse claims I acquired these properties after becoming deputy president in 2022, yet my brother passed away in 2017.”
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Gachagua explained that his late brother had named him, Mwai Mathenge, and lawyer Njoroge as executors of his will. He also noted that some of the funds in his account came from the sale of Olive Garden Hotel, as outlined in the will.
The deputy president further criticized the recent public participation process, which sought input from Kenyans regarding his proposed ouster, calling it poorly organized and inaccessible. “The public participation was a poorly conducted exercise that most Kenyans couldn’t grasp.
The accusations were framed in overly legalistic terms, making it hard for people to understand, and my response wasn’t even included in the materials given to the public,” Gachagua said.
He concluded by stating that Tuesday’s impeachment attempt would be one of the most shameful acts in the history of Parliament, as legislators would be attempting to remove a democratically elected leader based on falsehoods.
