Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared he has no intention of resigning from his position, vowing to fight any efforts to remove him from office. In a heated press briefing at his Karen residence, Gachagua addressed accusations of misconduct, corruption, and family involvement in questionable investments, all of which have been central to a petition seeking his impeachment led by Kibwezi East MP Mwengi Mutuse.
Gachagua firmly refuted claims that he has undermined President William Ruto, stating, “For the record, President William Ruto has never complained to me about undermining him. If he has told that to Mutuse, I would like to know.” He further criticized the grounds of the impeachment, citing Mutuse’s lack of knowledge about his official residences in Karen and Mombasa, where the MP alleged unnecessary renovations had taken place. “This place was in a very high state of disrepair, it took me seven months to move in,” Gachagua said, adding that he had no role in public expenditure as the funds were allocated by Parliament.
The DP also defended his family, particularly his children, against accusations of corrupt dealings involving the purchase of Treetops Hotel. “Why should the DP go to look for foreign investors when his own children can invest at home?” Gachagua asked, defending his sons’ decision to borrow Ksh 600 million from a bank to invest in the hotel, a move he said promotes tourism and local employment. “These boys are so demoralized, asking me, ‘Dad, why didn’t you advise us that it is a crime to be your children?’”
Gachagua also dismissed claims that his wife, Dorcas Rigathi, is involved in financial misconduct through the Dorcas Rigathi Gachagua Foundation. He lauded her work in supporting the boy child and rehabilitating children, stressing that Kenyans of goodwill had voluntarily donated to her cause, especially after the government decided not to fund the office of the DP’s spouse.
In response to allegations of corruption, Gachagua cited his late brother’s assets to clarify the source of his wealth, stating that his family had long-established investments. He also defended his remarks regarding the National Intelligence Service (NIS) during the anti-Finance Bill protests, arguing that public officers, including the Director General of the NIS, are accountable to the people of Kenya. “When one feels he has underperformed, he will be called out. I learned this from my boss,” Gachagua asserted.
With public participation in the impeachment process set to take place across all 47 counties, and with 233 MPs required to vote in favor for the motion to succeed, Gachagua remains resolute in his defense, concluding, “I’ll fight to the end.”
