Gachagua seeks VIP treatment, privileges in deal to resign

Amid increasing political pressure and uncertainty within the government, mandarins around embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have reached out to President William Ruto for a potential deal before he resigns from office.

Highly placed sources within State House indicate that Gachagua emissaries have contacted Ruto on his behalf, seeking assurances of certain privileges, including security and VIP treatment in exchange for his resignation ahead of a crucial vote on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.

Constitutionally, the Deputy President forfeits all his privileges if he is thrown out of office before half his five-year term.

Majority leader Kimani Ichungwa said Gachagua has tasted power and that he is already planning for the 2027 elections.

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According to Gachagua's emissaries, he wants the president to allow him to enjoy the privileges of a former Deputy President, which include one four-wheel drive vehicle of an engine capacity not exceeding 3000cc, which shall be replaceable once every four years, a fuel allowance equal to fifteen per cent of the current monthly salary of the office holder and security officers.

The DP is also eyeing a monthly pension equal to eighty per cent of his last monthly salary while in office, a lump sum payment on retirement, calculated as a sum equal to one year's salary paid for each term served in office and two saloon vehicles with an engine capacity not exceeding 2000 cc which shall be replaceable once every four years.

According to the sources, the emissaries who met the President's men on Thursday last week noted that Gachagua kept on retaining a convenient number of security details and VIP treatment, including the use of VIP sections at the airports and key government facilities.

It is not however clear if the President has responded to the request and whether the DP will go ahead and resign before the Senate debate.

“He has reached out, the President has been told of his Deputy’s requests. I am not sure if he will directly get back to him or he will do so through the same emissaries,” said a source.

When responding to Gachagua’s impeachment, Kapsaret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi, a close President Ruto said that they have to get rid of Gachagua blaming him for the Generation Z protests. “One day the truth will come out,” Sudi said. The MP said be the president's ear on the ground, asked Kenyans to remain patient and that they would explain everything after the impeachment.

“What we are doing is for the country, and it is good for the country. We have to secure our country first,” Sudi said and added "The Mountain hasn't been touched, it's an individual who is paying for his misdeeds. When found guilty, own your actions and carry your burden, not the community. Too much politicking derails the government's development agenda,” 

Ichungwa said that their focus remains steadfast on development, improving the livelihoods of farmers through better coffee, tea, and milk prices, and fostering national unity.

“Those whose ambitions lie in political manoeuvring ahead of 2027 are free to pursue new alliances and form political parties. They have made their priorities clear, but for us, the well-being of the people and the progress of our nation come first,” Ichungwa insisted.

Speaking at the Our Lady of Sorrows Baricho Catholic Parish in Ndia, Kirinyaga County, Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang'wa said there was a plot to sideline Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from politics and that MPs sought to impeach the DP from office and push him to be charged before a court of law. 

"It is their plan to unite, bring an impeachment motion, remove him from office, jail him and give positions to other people,” the senator explained, adding, “Let me tell them, we are the ones who voted for Gachagua as the mountain and we will not allow anyone to touch him.”

Yesterday Chief Justice Martha Koome appointed a three-judge bench to listen to a spate of petitions filed to challenge Gachagua's impeachment.  The judges are Eric Ogolla, Antony Mrima and Frida Mugambi.

Last week, Justice Lawrence Mugambi, citing significant public interest, requested the Chief Justice to form a three-judge bench to review Gachagua's petition.

President William Ruto has not yet commented on the situation.

Meanwhile, this development comes as political circles narrowed down to prominent personalities to succeed Gachagua. The heavy jostling for possible replacement has seemed to narrow down to two key names by Sunday evening.

The names of Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi are what the President’s circles are now playing with.

Those in favour of Kindiki are arguing that the Interior CS by being a son of the mountain, could still be used to politically placate the Mt Kenya region to at least vote for Ruto’s re-election in 2027.

Those allied to him including two of Ruto’s close allies argue that all is not lost in the Mt Kenya region if Kindiki is picked to replace Gachagua.

“We will still salvage the Mt Kenya vote if we pick Prof Kindiki, in any case, he was the MP’s choice during the 2022 process of picking the DP, and therefore the Interior CS can be used by the president to hold back the now slippery region,” said a CS who sought anonymity.

The CS said that in the worst-case scenario, the Interior CS’s appointment could still be used to divide the populous region into two with the Mt Kenya East region including Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and some parts of Embu.

Those in Kindiki's team insist that the Interior CS was the pick of the many MPs and they should be given the position.

“Our only worry is that the Interior CS, though seen as a Mt Kenya choice for the DP position, does not have much political gravitas in the populous region and therefore will not help Ruto politically,” said a source.

Those pushing for Mudavadi, including a majority of the CSs and key Ruto allies from Rift Valley believe the Mt Kenya region will revolt anyway whether one of their own was picked as deputy or not.

“What is the difference, Gachagua has begun his revolt before even half of the term, he had already spoiled the mood for Kenya Kwanza government in the Mt Kenya region and no politician in the region could bring back the vote-rich region back to the fold, we should look outside, we are better if we seal the Western and Coast region votes,” said a Rift Valley MP.

He said Mudavadi had proved to be a reliable friend who came in without any demand and is loyal to the government to the hilt and should be rewarded.

The MP said Mudavadi will help President Ruto steady his government and give it a mature look, a matter that Gachagua deprived the Kenya Kwanza government.

“Mudavadi has a national appeal, no one will find fault if he is picked, he will give Ruto’s government a serious look and help cure the inadequacies that kept on lurking when Gachagua was the DP,  with the Complete Western Kenya vote of Luhyia, Kalenjin, Luo and the Coast, we can replicate the 2007 victory against Mt Kenya singularity,” said the MP.

Today, Mudavadi will represent the President at the governors' conference in Kwale, he has done that several times signaling the Head of State's confidence in him, his appointment will be a mark of appreciation for Mudavadi's political maturity," said the source.

Butere Mp Tindi Mwale said Mudavadi is Kenya's seasoned statesman who has served as the 7th Vice President of Kenya, Deputy Prime Minister, and has held key ministerial positions across several administrations, working under three Kenyan Presidents.

“In 1989, Dr. Mudavadi made history as the youngest minister ever appointed in Kenya at the age of 28, a role bestowed upon him by the late President Daniel Arap Moi. Throughout his distinguished career, he has achieved remarkable milestones, including being the only Cabinet Secretary to have held concurrent portfolios across multiple ministries, further demonstrating his leadership and versatility,” he said.