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Rigathi Gachagua, the recently ousted Deputy President of Kenya, has sharply criticized his former boss, President William Ruto, labeling him as “cruel” and “vicious,” while expressing concerns for his safety.
On Thursday, the Senate impeached Gachagua on five out of eleven charges, although a court order has temporarily halted the process of appointing his successor. In a statement to reporters, the 59-year-old expressed disbelief that the man he supported to become president could act so harshly against him. “I am shocked by how vicious a man I helped to elevate to the presidency, believed in, and suffered persecution for supporting could turn on me like this,” he remarked.
Gachagua revealed that his security detail had been removed and his staff placed on compulsory leave. “If anything were to happen to me or my family, President William Ruto should be held accountable,” he stated, citing previous threats to his life.
His comments came shortly after being released from a Nairobi hospital, where he was treated for severe chest pains. Gachagua fell ill just one hour before he was set to testify in a historic two-day impeachment hearing. Despite attempts by his lawyers to postpone the proceedings, the Senate proceeded to vote on his ouster.
He was convicted of charges that included threatening judges and engaging in ethnically divisive politics, but he was acquitted of corruption and money laundering.
In a swift political move, President Ruto nominated Kithure Kindiki, the Interior Minister, as Gachagua’s replacement. However, a High Court in Nairobi quickly suspended the appointment process shortly after parliament voted overwhelmingly to endorse Kindiki, a 52-year-old academic and political figure. A three-judge panel is expected to review the case on Tuesday.
Gachagua accused Ruto of violating the court order by removing his security, stating, “I don’t understand this level of viciousness. At his lowest point, when he is literally fighting for his life, you unleash such cruelty against him.”
As of now, President Ruto has not made any public remarks regarding Gachagua’s impeachment. Notably, Gachagua is the first deputy president to be removed through impeachment since the introduction of this process in Kenya’s revised constitution in 2010.
