More trouble for Gachagua as he fights to overturn impeachment

Impeached Vice President Rigathi Gachagua and his allies face more trouble as the reality of his dramatic ouster sinks in.

Gachagua faces political and criminal problems as he fights his impeachment – now in court. His allies, who have vocally opposed his impeachment and openly criticized President William Ruto, have not been spared.

Ruto’s majority party has already staged a ruthless purge against Gachagua’s allies, whom it accused of undermining the president’s leadership.

The Star has discovered that a plan to remove the former vice president’s foot soldiers from House leadership committees is imminent.

“If one of the accusations that the DP is facing is that it is undermining the president and you support him, what are you telling us? That you are also undermining the president?” a pro-government MP told the Star confidentially.

A senior Kenya-Kwanza lawmaker familiar with the events revealed that plans were underway for a strike immediately after the House of Representatives finished the overthrow motion.

Once the dust settles, sources told the Star that a parliamentary caucus meeting will be called to agree on the replacements.

“I am aware of very advanced discussions aimed at cracking the whip once the entire issue of impeachment is resolved,” the MP said.

The target is said to be MPs who hold lucrative positions in the House of Representatives and who defied the ruling coalition by supporting the embattled DP during the impeachment vote.

Those shown the door are MPs who serve as chairs and vice-chairs of various committees. Parliamentary committees are crucial to the work of the bicameral parliament and have broad powers in approving government policies and preparing budgets.

The DP’s allies in the National Assembly who hold positions on committees include Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, who chairs the powerful Trade Committee.

Vocal Githunguri MP Muthoni Wamuchomba, chairman of the National Assembly’s influential Constitution and Implementation Monitoring Committee, is another supporter of the former DP.

The two are among the 44 MPs who voted to save Gachagua. In the Senate, Karungo Thang’wa and his Murang’a colleague Joe Nyutu are marked men.

Senator Nyutu chairs the Education Committee while Thang’wa chairs the Roads, Transport and Housing Committee.

The move could worsen frosty relations in Kenya’s Kwanza and could trigger an implosion in Mount Kenya as the majority of those targeted are from the restive region.

In addition, a conspiracy was hatched to expel Gachagua from the ruling UDA party, which would make him non-partisan.

UDA general secretary Hassan Omar announced on Sunday that the party does not recognize the accused DP and confirmed plans to call a meeting to expel him.

“Gachagua must now accept that the ground has changed and move on,” Omar said.

A section of MPs have demanded that the former DP be investigated by the EACC and the Criminal Investigation Department to explain how he amassed a Sh5.2 billion fortune in two years.

Gachagua’s impeachment comes with another political price: the former DP will be permanently barred from holding elective or public office. He was also summoned by the DCI for alleged attempt to murder.

Gachagua will also be left empty-handed, having lost all of his generous exit benefits if the court does not overturn the impeachment.