Ichung’wah dismisses Gachagua’s address as ‘sympathy-seeking gimmicks’

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah has labelled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Monday night press conference on his ongoing impeachment bid as futile attempts at playing to the gallery.

Gachagua, who is accused of inciting hatred, undermining President William Ruto and the Cabinet, bullying, gross misconduct and graft, among others, addressed a two-hour press conference at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi, defending himself against the impeachment grounds.

The embattled DP dismissed the motion moved by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse as a fabrication.

He at some point discussed his late brother, James Nderitu Gachagua – who died in 2017 of cancer – at length, saying he inherited some of the property he is accused of obtaining unscrupulously from him.

In an interview with NTV shortly after the DP’s media conference, Ichung’wah termed it “a very belated public playing to the gallery gimmicks.”

“He has simply tried to appeal to the court of public opinion and the Judiciary through the media. He also tried to appeal to the media to support his sympathy-seeking gimmicks,” the National Assembly Majority Leader said, arguing the DP did not address the issues on the impeachment grounds substantively.

“You can count the number of times he has mentioned his late brother trying to evoke sympathy to persuade Kenyans and Members of Parliament trying to do their constitutional mandate,” he added.

Ichung’wah likened the press conference to Gachagua’s forgiveness plea on Sunday during a church service at the Karen residence, in which he said if he has wronged anyone as deputy president, they should find it in their hearts to forgive him.

“It is the same gimmicks you saw him exercise yesterday,” Ichung’wah said, adding that MPs will not be influenced by Gachagua’s arguments as they consider the impeachment motion on Tuesday.

“We will look at the motion,” he said, and maintained that the ouster grounds “are credible.”

Gachagua on Monday said he would present before Parliament on Tuesday to defend himself against the impeachment grounds.

“There is nothing here that violates the constitution… no gross misconduct. I am innocent in all these allegations,” he said.

He also made nonsense of numerous calls for his resignation from a section of the public and politicians, telling journalists: “I was elected by 7.2 million Kenyans; how dare you suggest I resign without public participation? I have no intention of resigning from this job.”

“I will fight until the end,” Gachagua said, “I will get justice and carry out my duties as DP. Anybody sending me messages to resign is a joker. I have done nothing wrong to Kenyans.”