Two Senators allied to ousted Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua sensationally claimed that there was massive behind-the-scenes lobbying on Thursday to influence the outcome of the impeachment process at the Senate.
Nyandarua Senator John Methu claimed that there was a never-before-seen lobbying, which also involved colossal amounts of money, of up to Sh10 million to vote for Gachagua’s removal, at the expense of a fair trial.
He made the remarks in a televised interview as Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate, Tabitha Karanja distanced herself from bribery claims saying she was not given any money to support Gachagua’s removal and that she voted out of her own volition.
“A substantive question – between me, who is 33 years old and someone like Senator Karanja, who can change their life by receiving a huge amount of money? Between her and me, who is expected to rush where there is money? It should be me because I need it more and also do not have as much,” said Methu.
“I do not think Sh10 million may change much in the lives of some people but it can for some of us but we stood for justice and again, our people who elected us come first before anything else. If money can be used to betray people or if someone can vote for impeachment to protect personal business, does it mean those things are bigger than the people who elected and put you in that position?” he posed.Methu said the process to remove Gachagua started long ago and that he is yet to understand why President William Ruto is hell-bent on removing his deputy from the office despite court orders in place.
“What has pained me the most is that some of the people who supported his ouster were from his larger backyard, and even worse, the fact that someone may have been given something to remove him,” he uttered.
But Karanja, who voted in favor of the impeachment, said she personally cannot be ‘bought’ to make an independent decision or in ways that her electorate cannot benefit.
“If there was money that was dished out for this, I did not see it,” she said.
