Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Recent media reports suggest a renewed plot by some MPs to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. However, Gachagua’s political allies have unjustly linked these claims to his supposed snubbing of President Ruto during a church event in Nyeri last Sunday.
At the event, President Ruto, fresh from a trip to Germany, clarified that he had committed to attending the function to commemorate the launch of the AIPCA Central Archdiocese. His absence should not be overanalyzed.
Meanwhile, the DP was attending a major Catholic Church event in Kirinyaga, marking its 100-year anniversary. His team has since dismissed claims of disrespect, stating that leaving the church mid-service would have been seen as inappropriate.
The following day, there was clear camaraderie between the two leaders at the Kenya School of Government, with Gachagua praising President Ruto’s leadership.
Given this context, Gachagua’s allies are wrong to involve President Ruto in his current struggles. If MPs are plotting impeachment, it is the members of parliament, not the president, who hold the power. Ruto, as the head of the executive, has no vote in such proceedings.
If Gachagua’s allies have grievances, they should address them with MPs directly, not use the president as a scapegoat.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and social commentator.
