Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s insecurities and greed were his downfall, this is according to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot.
Speaking exclusively to TV47’s Elizabeth Mutuku, Senator Cheruiyot said that during his tenure as the second in command, it reached a point where Gachagua could not stand seeing any other politician closer to President William Ruto apart from himself.
When President Ruto was picking his running mate in the run up to the 2022 General Election, it is reported that more than 90% of MPs and politicians from Mt Kenya region preferred Prof. Kithure Kindiki over Gachagua. It is for this reason that Senator Cheruiyot says Gachagua developed these insecurities, putting him on a collision path with barely everyone within Kenya Kwanza Coalition.
Another development that had Gachagua walking on a tight rope, Senator Cheruiyot says, is when Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro started crisscrossing the country, in the company of other MPs. Cheruiyot says Gachagua took this as outright insubordination.
“Mbunge wa Kiharu Ndindi Nyoro alianza kuzunguka nchi, na kukawa na tetesi kwamba rais anamuunga mkono. Kiukweli ni kwamba rais hakuwa anamuunga mkono. Jambo hili lilimkasirisha sana Gachagua, akaanza kuwaambia wanasiasa, hata mimi nikiwemo, tumwambie rais aache kumuunga mkono Ndindi Nyoro,” Cheruiyot said.
Gachagua's insecurities started with Ndindi Nyoro then President Ruto: Sen. Aaron Cheruiyot | Events 2024
— tv47ke (@Tv47Newske) December 22, 2024
Wakati wa kumchagua mgombea mwenza UDA 2022, 90% walikataa na kumwambia Rais huyu jamaa tunamujua, yeye hatoshei. Hana ujuzi wa kisiasa. Yeye hakuwa anachukulia vizuri wale… pic.twitter.com/oTZQNhHEyO
Cheruiyot further accused Gachagua and his allies of taking advantage of the Gen Z anti-government protests across the country to advance his selfish agenda.
At the height of the protests, protestors stormed Parliament buildings and set ablaze part of it, while vandalising property of unknown value. Cheruiyot believes that the perpetrators of the vandalism were not genuine protestors, but goons sent by the said politician to infiltrate otherwise peaceful demonstrations.
“The plan of those politicians who took advantage of genuine Gen Z protests was to invade Parliament building, burn it and then invoke Kenyans’ emotions, and to eventually overthrow the government.”
Gachagua was eventually impeached by both Houses (National Assembly and Senate) on 17th October 2024, and replaced by Prof. Kithure Kindiki.
