The meteoric rise and fall of Rigathi Gachagua
For Rigathi Gachagua, a man whose political rise was meteoric—shooting from a one-term Member of Parliament to Deputy President—he was seen by many as a man in a rush. During his swearing-in ceremony, Gachagua had to retake his second oath for the office of Deputy President after veering off script.
In his twelve-minute inaugural speech, delivered even before the new president could address the nation, a fired-up Gachagua attacked outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, whom he had served for years as a personal assistant. This move surprised many, including visiting heads of state and government, a decision that would later haunt him during his impeachment motion in the National Assembly.
“Freedom is here with us. I want to tell the people of Kenya that finally, you are free. Kenya is now a democratic country… You don’t have to look over your shoulder anymore… It became a crime in this country to be a friend of William Ruto… and it wasn’t even in the penal code,” Gachagua declared. He added, “You are free to criticise the government without fear of reprisal.”
And criticise he did, without hesitation. On 26th June, Gachagua took on President Ruto and the Director General of the National Intelligence Service, Noordin Haji, head-on.
The man from Mathira, Nyeri County, who had fashioned himself as fearless and truthful, seemed to foresee the challenges ahead from the very day his political marriage with the man from the North Rift began. Two years later, the rift between them was clear. “I must tell these people the truth… despite the fact that you are hardworking, the journey ahead is not rosy,” Gachagua said.
True to his mantra of truth, Gachagua continued to speak his mind whenever he had the chance. His bluntness earned him critics, accusing him of practicing politics of exclusion—contrary to Article 131 of the Constitution, which views the presidency as a symbol of unity.
A year later, the political choices he made have led to consequences. After seven years of a rapid political ascent, Gachagua has fallen from grace, becoming Kenya’s second Deputy President to face impeachment within two years of assuming office.
“I know I’m stepping into shoes that are almost impossible to fill. The performance of Ruto in his first term, when he was allowed to serve the people, was on another level. I beg the people of Kenya not to assess me by Ruto’s performance, as you might be disappointed,” Gachagua had once said.
For Gachagua, the storm began gathering immediately after his swearing-in, when visiting heads of state reportedly expressed disappointment at how he dressed down former President Uhuru Kenyatta in full public view. Gachagua portrayed Kenyatta as a vindictive leader.
Concerns also arose regarding the country’s cohesion and integration when Gachagua unapologetically promoted a “shareholding” model, stating that the Kenya Kwanza administration would prioritise those who had “invested” in them first. His later declarations about prioritising Mt. Kenya’s interests over the rest of the country further alienated him, leading to accusations of balkanising the country.
These statements, along with other charges summing to 11, were weaponised by Kaiti MP Mwengi Mutuse to bring down the political giant, Rigathi Gachagua, who is now out of office.
The man who once wielded immense power is now powerless, losing all retirement benefits typically afforded to former deputy presidents, following his dramatic impeachment—just as dramatic as his swearing-in on 13th September 2022.
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