President William Ruto maintained silence regarding the impeachment case against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a church service on Sunday. Instead, he requested Kenyans to pray for him as he leads the implementation of key initiatives, including the Social Health Authority and Affordable Housing programs.
Ruto mentioned that he had to "negotiate" his way out of attending a pre-planned meeting at the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) in Embu to participate in the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Africa Inland Church (AIC) Milimani. “When the senior pastor told me about the invitation, I told him it would be tough because it wasn’t in my schedule. My diary was booked elsewhere. But I made arrangements because I didn’t want to miss celebrating this milestone,” he said.
Insiders suggested that the decision to skip the Embu event was also to avoid the ongoingtension with Gachagua. The Deputy President, who attended the service in Embu, has accused President Ruto of orchestrating his impeachment. Gachagua, who is set to appear before the Senate after the National Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of his removal, claimed, “The motion cannot reach Parliament without the President’s approval. And it has his approval.” He made these comments during a press briefing at his Karen residence the previous week.
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While Ruto’s allies in Parliament have pushed for Gachagua’s removal, the President has remained silent on the matter publicly. At the AIC Milimani event, Ruto shifted focus to the progress of his government's health and housing reforms. He expressed gratitude to faith-based organizations for their partnership in the health sector, highlighting that nearly 12.8 million Kenyans have registered under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program. “For the first time, every Kenyan will have health insurance. This is aligned with what the Bible teaches us: to uplift those at the bottom,” he said.
However, the rollout of the new health insurance scheme has faced challenges, with some Kenyans struggling to access services due to delays in the program’s transition. On the housing front, Ruto emphasized that the Affordable Housing initiative is transforming informal settlements and providing employment. “Places like Mukuru and Kibera have changed. Today, someone in Mukuru can own a house by paying just Sh3,000 a month. That’s my goal—to ensure we build a nation of equals,” he said.
Ruto urged Kenyans to be proud of the nation’s achievements, citing Kenya’s role in international peacekeeping efforts, including the recent involvement of Kenyan police in Haiti. “Kenya is a blessed country. Sometimes we underestimate it, but we should be proud of the peace and transformation we enjoy,” he concluded.
