Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga. Photo/Newsflash
By Wanderi Kamau
Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga has threatened to take legal action against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of tarnishing his name through false bribery claims.
Wamatinga, a staunch ally of President William Ruto, alleges that Gachagua has been peddling lies that he received a Sh10 million bribe to support Gachagua’s impeachment in October last year.
Speaking on Friday, March 7, 2025, Wamatinga said he had instructed his lawyer to issue a demand letter to Gachagua seeking a public apology, failure to which he would sue for defamation.
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“My name is Senator Wahome Wamatinga from Nyeri County. Last week on Sunday, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was at a church service in Machakos. He stood and said that I was given Sh10 million to impeach him, yet he knows very well that is a lie,” said Wamatinga.
He added: “He knows I cannot be manipulated with money. The remarks he made have tainted my image and assassinated my character. Therefore, I have instructed my lawyer to write him a letter demanding an apology.”
“If he fails, I have instructed my lawyer to move to court on Monday,” said Wamatinga.
Gachagua made the claims while addressing congregants at a church service in Machakos County on Sunday, where he was accompanied by his wife Dorcas Rigathi, several Mt Kenya allies, and a group of Wiper MPs. During the event, Gachagua alleged that Senators were bribed with up to Sh10 million each to vote for his removal, an assertion backed by Nyandarua Senator John Methu, one of Gachagua’s vocal supporters.
The fallout between Gachagua and a section of Mt Kenya leaders, including Wamatinga, deepened following Gachagua’s dramatic impeachment as Deputy President in October 2024—a move that exposed deep rifts within the ruling coalition. Since then, Wamatinga has publicly aligned himself with President Ruto’s inner circle, while Gachagua has accused his former allies from the region of betrayal and political sabotage.
The looming lawsuit signals escalating tensions in Mt Kenya’s political arena, as leaders continue to trade blame over the impeachment and future leadership of the region.
