Gachagua allies cite witchhunt for being kicked out of Senate committees

By Wesley Koech

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his brigade on Sunday, 16 February, 2025, slammed President William Ruto for kicking them as members of National Assembly and Senate committees.

According to Gachagua, Ruto used him as a bridge to clinch power but threw him under the bus by initiating his impeachment.

“I helped him when he needed me but later, he turned away and pretended that I never existed or knew me, branding me with all sorts of names and as a tribalistic leader,” Gachagua posed.

He was speaking at the consecration of Dr George Gathari as a Bishop of the Full Gospel Church in Nyandarua.

Although he vowed to forgive MPs from the region who took part in his impeachment, Gachagua said he would never forget what they did to him and his people.

While distancing himself from the protests staged by Gen-Z last year, Gachagua claimed that the route taken by the government to contain the situation was uncalled for.

“These are our kids; they have not committed any unlawful act. They are just expressing their grievances over governance, and stalled projects. Instead of hearing their plea, they are abducted and some killed,” he said.

Nyandarua Senator John Methu said the push and pull in Kenya Kwanza has escalated to an extent of destabilising the way the Senate works.

He said that the recent move to strip off them their roles at various committee in the Senate was a political witch-hunt.

“Senator Aaron Cheruiyot came while we were having breakfast. He greeted and hugged us. We did not know that they had planned to take away our duties as head of committees,” he said.

Methu said that there is no link between the current government and Mt Kenya locals, saying that Gachagua is their only hope.

“If this happened some months ago, we would have sought help from the Office of the Deputy President in Karen. For now, the only hope we have is Wamunyoro. That’s the connection we can offer to our people,” he said.

According to Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thangwa, it is absurd for the President and his brigade to push them out on graft allegations, yet corruption is rampant in various sectors.

“There are people who stole from the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) yet they are free,” he said.