How a Toxic Tongue Cost Rigathi Gachagua his Job

Gachagua has served as President Ruto’s deputy for 766 days since the last general election.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was ousted after the Senate Assembly upheld the National Assembly’s impeachment motion.

Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Prof. Kithure Kindiki is the nominee for the position of Deputy President after President William Ruto forwarded his name to parliament during a special meeting hardly overnight after the Senate found Gachagua guilty of five charges out of 11 charges levelled against him.

Gachagua has served as President Ruto’s deputy for 766 days since the last general election.

A request to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi to adjourn the impeachment proceedings by Gachagua’s legal team led by Paul Muite, 79, was declined. The move saw 53 senators against 13 upholding the impeachment motion for Gachagua’s removal from office.

Abraham Kithure Kindiki, 52 years old, is expected to succeed Gachagua after being nominated. A lawyer by profession, he was reinstated during the formation of a broad-based government after the Head of State dismissed his entire cabinet following the Gen Z anti government protests.

Gachagua was rushed to Karen hospital on Thursday afternoon, the second day of the Senate proceedings, forcing the halting of his trial for several hours.

Gachagua’s defence team walked out in protest after the Senate declined to adjourn the proceedings when the Senate Speaker was informed that Gachagua was ill and was admitted and won’t be available to put up his defense with his legal team.

Immediately after the session ended Kingi gazetted Gachagua’s removal from office to pave way for President Ruto to nominate his replacement.

Addressing the media outside Karen hospital Doctor Dan Gikonyo had said Gachagua was in a stable condition despite severe chest pains.

Gachagua’s legal team expressed disappointment at the Senate’s refusal to adjourn the proceedings arguing that it would have done so if it was another party who was admitted in hospital. They argued nothing can take place even in a court of law when one is hospitalized.

The Senate sought to put the record straight that the impeachment proceedings have a time frame in line with the constitution.

The least the motion can be extended is not beyond the weekend, the Senate pointed out.